Montresor knows that his revenge against Fortunato would not be satisfying if he himself were caught and punished. He must also realize that killing Fortunato would not bring him satisfaction unless it enabled him to get rid of the bad feelings he harbors against the man. Montresor feels anger, hatred, resentment, and humiliation, among other things. When he achieves his perfect revenge and his hated enemy is dead, Montresor feels cleansed of all his bitter feelings. Revenge is sweet. After the passage of fifty years, Montresor can feel assured that he will never even be suspected of causing Fortunato to disappear so mysteriously. If he thinks of Fortunato at all, he pictures him as a wretched skeleton still chained to the granite wall in the narrow niche, still wearing the soiled rags of his jester's costume. He no longer hates this man at all. Montresor has achieved closure. He has cleansed his heart and mind of all the bitterness he felt because of the thousand injuries he had endured. This is why it is appropriate that Montresor ends his story with the words "In pace requiescat!" or "Rest in peace!" Montresor is not being sarcastic. He really and truly means it. This is sweet revenge. Fortunato is nothing now. He is of no more importance to Montresor than all those other bones in the catacombs. Montresor feels obliged to say "In pace requiescat!" Who else could say it? He is the only person in the whole wide world who knows where Fortunato's body is interred, and the only person in the whole wide world who knows how it got there. Montresor wishes Fortunato to rest in peace because he himself has found peace of mind by disposing of him.