Question

Which excerpt from "The Cask of Amontillado" best illustrates the sarcastic tone of the narrator? "Come," I said, with decision, "we will go back; your health is precious. You are rich, respected, admired, beloved; you are happy, as once I was. You are a man to be missed. For me it is no matter. In an instant he had reached the extremity of the niche, and finding his progress arrested by the rock, stood stupidly bewildered. A moment more and I had fettered him to the granite. "Let us go, nevertheless. The cold is merely nothing. Amontillado! You have been imposed upon. And as for Luchresi, he cannot distinguish Sherry from Amontillado." In painting and gemmary, Fortunato, like his countrymen, was a quack, but in the matter of old wines he was sincere.

Answer 1

"Come," I said, with decision, "we will go back; your health is precious. You are rich, respected, admired, beloved; you are happy, as once I was. You are a man to be missed

This line is in a sarcastic tone. Sarcasm is a form of verbal irony. Irony is when what is said or written is actually the opposite of what is meant. The narrator does not actually believe that Fortunato is to be respected or admired. He doesn't actually think Fortunato's health is precious as his intent is to kill him. Also, he doesn't want them to go back. He has everything planned out for Fortunato's entombment farther into the catacombs.

Answer 2

"Come," I said, with decision, "we will go back; your health is precious.
This statement is the one you are looking for because while Montresor is saying that Fortunatos health is precious, it in fact means nothing to Montresor himself.