“How?” said he. “Amontillado? A pipe? Impossible! And in the middle of the carnival!” (8)
It’s not really clear why Fortunato thinks it’s so impossible. Perhaps he’s just saying this to try to convince Montresor that he needs Fortunato’s expert opinion to tell him if the Amontillado is authentic. If he really doubted the possibility of Montresor’s Amontillado acquisition, he probably wouldn’t have gone with Montresor.
“I shall not die of a cough.”
“True – true,” I replied.” (37-38)
Montresor is always joking about death. And he makes is almost seem funny, until the end. Poe uses “dark” humor to lighten up the story.
“I drink,” he said, “to the buried that repose around us.”
“And I to your long life.” (42, 43)
This is an example of “dramatic irony.” We know something that one or more of the characters don’t. Montresor’s toast to Fortunato’s “long life” lets the reader know that Fortunato might die. The only person who doesn’t get the joke is Fortunato.