The speaker seeks revenge against Fortunato for past insults and vows to punish him without risk of retaliation. While smiling to Fortunato to conceal his true intentions, the speaker lures him into a crypt and walls him into a small interior space. As he builds the wall, Fortunato begins screaming and pulling on his chains, realizing he is being entombed alive. The speaker continues construction and, seeing Fortunato's figure, lets out a succession of screams to surpass Fortunato's until he falls silent.