"If, still, you think me mad, you will think so no longer when I describe the wise precautions I took for the concealment of the body"(Poe pg. 729). His conscience along with his paranoia would be his only fault in revealing his murder to the police. He is convinced the old man's heart was still beating loudly enough for everyone to hear. In the end his paranoia forces him to admit to the death because now it was not the eye judging him, but the detectives.
Murder is another reoccurring theme in the story "The Cask of Amontillado". In this story Montressor has vowed revenge on Fortunato resulting in his death. The motive is presented clearly, but the justification of murder is different than that of "The Tell-Tale Heart." "A wrong is undressed when retribution overtakes its redresser"(Poe pg. 744). This statement by Montressor blames revenge for his actions, rather than looking at himself first. This trait was also present in "The Tell-Tale Heart" the only difference is Montressor links his actions to revenge rather than an object or an "eye". Both characters had well planned murder plots in each story. Supporting the reoccurring trait of detailed and meticulous characters. In both stories they refer to their murder victims as friends. This is another instance of the main characters convincing themselves they are overall good. Montressor in "The Cask of Amontillado" also has a difficult time in dealing with his conscience after the murder. "My heart grew sick; it was the dampness of the catacombs that made it so"(Poe pg. 748). Here, Montressor convinces himself the environment is why he feels this way, not letting his conscience get to him as it did to the narrator in "The Tell-Tale Heart". Both characters hide their victims well. This is a result of the reoccurring theme of hiding in the place of confrontation. Both characters take it upon themselves to commit murder and hide the bodies rather than confronting their foes.