No Country for Old Men-第12章

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e　ought　buckshot　shells。　the　box　　of　shells　contained　almost　exactly　the　firepower　of　a　claymore　mine。　he　had　them　wrap　　the　gun　and　he　left　with　it　under　his　arm　and　walked　up　pecan　street　to　a　hardware　store。

there　he　bought　a　hacksaw　and　a　flat　millfile　and　some　miscellaneous　items。　a　pair　of　　pliers　and　a　pair　of　sidecutters。　a　screwdriver。　flashlight。　a　roll　of　duct　tape。

he　stood　on　the　sidewalk　with　his　purchases。　then　he　turned　and　walked　back　down　the　　street。

in　the　sporting　goods　store　again　he　asked　the　same　clerk　if　he　had　any　aluminum　　tentpoles。　he　tried　to　explain　that　he　didnt　care　what　kind　of　tent　it　was；　he　just　needed　　the　poles。

the　clerk　studied　him。　whatever　kind　of　tent　it　is；　he　said；　wed　still　have　to　special　　order　poles　for　it。　you　need　to　get　the　manufacturer　and　the　model　number。

you　sell　tents；　right？

we　got　three　different　models。

which　one　has　got　the　most　poles　in　it？

well；　i　guess　that　would　be　our　ten　foot　walltent。　you　can　stand　up　in　it。　well；　some　　people　could　stand　up　in　it。　its　got　a　six　foot　clearance　at　the　ridge。

let　me　have　one。

yessir。

he　brought　the　tent　from　the　stockroom　and　laid　it　on　the　counter。　it　came　in　an　orange　　nylon　bag。　moss　laid　the　shotgun　and　the　bag　of　hardware　on　the　counter　and　untied　the　　strings　and　pulled　the　tent　from　the　bag　together　with　the　poles　and　cords。

its　all　there；　the　clerk　said。

what　do　i　owe　you。

its　one　seventy…nine　plus　tax。

he　laid　two　of　the　hundred　dollar　bills　on　the　counter。　the　tentpoles　were　in　a　separate　　bag　and　he　pulled　this　out　and　put　it　with　his　other　things。　the　clerk　gave　him　his　　change　and　the　receipt　and　moss　gathered　up　the　shotgun　and　his　hardware　purchases　　together　with　the　tentpoles　and　thanked　him　and　turned　and　left。　what　about　the　tent？

the　clerk　called。

in　the　room　he　unwrapped　the　shotgun　and　wedged　it　in　an　open　drawer　and　held　it　and　　sawed　the　barrel　off　just　in　front　of　the　magazine。　he　squared　up　the　cut　with　the　file　　and　smoothed　it　and　wiped　out　the　muzzle　of　the　barrel　with　a　damp　facecloth　and　set　it　　aside。　then　he　sawed　off　the　stock　in　a　line　that　left　it　with　a　pistol　grip　and　sat　on　the　　bed　and　dressed　the　grip　smooth　with　the　file。　when　he　had　it　the　way　he　wanted　it　he　　slid　the　forearm　back　and　slid　it　forward　again　and　let　the　hammer　down　with　his　thumb　　and　turned　it　sideways　and　looked　at　it。　it　looked　pretty　good。　he　turned　it　over　and　　opened　the　box　of　shells　and　fed　the　heavy　waxed　loads　into　the　magazine　one　by　one。

he　jacked　the　slide　back　and　chambered　a　shell　and　lowered　the　hammer　and　then　put　　one　more　round　in　the　magazine　and　laid　the　gun　across　his　lap。　it　was　less　than　two　feet　　long。

he　called　the　trail　motel　and　told　the　woman　to　hold　his　room　for　him。　then　he　shoved　　the　gun　and　the　shells　and　the　tools　under　the　mattress　and　went　out　again。

he　went　to　wal…mart　and　bought　some　clothes　and　a　small　nylon　zipper　bag　to　put　them　　in。　a　pair　of　jeans　and　a　couple　of　shirts　and　some　socks。　in　the　afternoon　he　went　for　a　　long　walk　out　along　the　lake；　taking　the　cut…off　gunbarrel　and　the　stock　with　him　in　the　　bag。　he　slung　the　barrel　out　into　the　water　as　far　as　he　could　throw　it　and　he　buried　the　　stock　under　a　ledge　of　shale。　there　were　deer　moving　away　through　the　desert　scrub。　he　　heard　them　snort　and　he　could　see　them　where　they　came　out　on　a　ridge　a　hundred　yards　　away　to　stand　looking　back　at　him。　he　sat　on　a　gravel　beach　with　the　empty　bag　folded　　in　his　lap　and　watched　the　sun　set。　watched　the　land　turn　blue　and　cold。　an　osprey　went　　down　the　lake。　then　there　was　just　the　darkness。

。。



No　Country　for　Old　MenIV


i　was　sheriff　of　this　county　when　i　was　twenty…five。　hard　to　believe。　my　father　was　　not　a　lawman。　jack　was　my　grandfather。　me　and　him　was　sheriff　at　the　same　time；　him　　in　piano　and　me　here。　i　think　he　was　pretty　proud　of　that。　i　know　i　was。　i　was　just　back　　from　the　war。　i　had　some　medals　and　stuff　and　of　course　people　had　got　wind　of　that。　i　　campaigned　pretty　hard。　you　had　to。　i　tried　to　be　fair。　jack　used　to　say　that　any　time　　youre　throwin　dirt　youre　losin　ground　but　i　think　mostly　it　just　wasnt　in　him。　to　speak　　ill　of　anybody。　and　i　never　did　mind　bein　like　him。　me　and　my　wife　has　been　married　　thirty…one　years。　no　children。　we　lost　a　girl　but　i　wont　talk　about　that。　i　served　two　　terms　and　then　we　moved　to　denton　texas。　jack　used　to　say　that　bein　sheriff　was　one　of　　the　best　jobs　you　could　have　and　bein　a　ex…sheriff　one　of　the　worst。　maybe　lots　of　things　　is　like　that。　we　stayed　gone　and　stayed　gone。　i　done　different　things。　was　a　detective　on　　the　railroad　for　a　while。　by　that　time　my　wife　wasnt　all　that　sure　about　us　in　back　　here。　about　me　runnin。　but　she　seen　i　wanted　to　so　thats　what　we　done。　shes　a　better　　person　than　me；　which　i　will　admit　to　anybody　that　cares　to　listen。　not　that　thats　sayin　　a　whole　lot。　shes　a　better　person　than　anybody　i　know。　period。

people　think　they　know　what　they　want　but　they　generally　dont。　sometimes　if　theyre　　lucky　theyll　get　it　anyways。　me　i　was　always　lucky。　my　whole　life。　i　wouldnt　be　here　　otherwise。　scrapes　i　been　in。　but　the　day　i　seen　her　e　out　of　kerrs　mercantile　and　　cross　the　street　and　she　passed　me　and　i　tipped　my　hat　to　her　and　got　just　almost　a　smile　　back；　that　was　the　luckiest。

people　plain　about　the　bad　things　that　happen　to　em　that　they　dont　deserve　but　they　　seldom　mention　the　good。　about　what　they　done　to　deserve　them　things。　i　dont　recall　　that　i　ever　give　the　good　lord　all　that　much　cause　to　smile　on　me。　but　he　did。

when　bell　walked　into　the　cafe　on　tuesday　morning　it　was　just　daylight。　he　　got　his　paper　and　went　to　his　table　in　the　corner。　the　men　he　passed　at　the　big　table　　nodded　to　him　and　said　sheriff。　the　waitress　brought　him　his　coffee　and　went　back　to　　the　kitchen　and　ordered　his　eggs。　he　sat　stirring　the　coffee　with　his　spoon　although　there　　was　nothing　to　stir　since　he　drank　it　black。　the　haskins　boys　picture　was　on　the　front　　page　of　the　austin　paper。　bell　read；　shaking　his　head。　his　wife　was　twenty　years　old。

you　know　what　you　could　do　for　her？　not　a　damn　thing。　lamar　had　never　lost　a　man　in　　twenty　some　odd　years。　this　is　what　he　would　remember。　this　is　what　hed　be　　remembered　for。

she　came　with　his　eggs　and　he　folded　the　paper　and　laid　it　by。

he　took　wendell　with　him　and　they　drove　down　to　the　desert　aire　and　stood　at　the　door　　while　wendell　knocked。

look　at　the　lock；　bell　said。

wendell　drew　his　pistol　and　opened　the　door。　sheriffs　department；　he　called。

there　aint　nobody　here。

no　reason　not　to　be　careful。

thats　right。　no　reason　in　the　world。

they　walked　in　and　stood。　wendell　would　have　holstered　his　pistol　but　bell　stopped　　him。　lets　just　keep　to　that　careful　routine；　he　said。

yessir。

he　walked　over　and　picked　up　a　small　brass　slug　off　of　the　carpet　and　held　it　up。

whats　that？　said　wendell。

cylinder　out　of　the　lock。

bell　passed　his　hand　over　the　plywood　of　the　room…divider。　heres　where　it　hit　at；　he　　said。　he　balanced　the　piece　of　brass　in　his　palm　and　looked　toward　the　door。　you　could　　weigh　this　thing　and　measure　the　distance　and　the　drop　and　calculate　the　speed。

i　expect　you　could。

pretty　good　speed。

yessir。　pretty　good　speed。

they　walked　through　the　rooms。　what　do　you　think；　sheriff？

i　believe　theyve　done　lit　a　shuck。

i　do　too。

kindly　in　a　hurry　about　it；　too。

yep。

he　walked　into　the　kitchen　and　opened　the　refrigerator　and　looked　in　and　shut　it　again。

he　looked　in　the　freezer。

so　when　was　he　here；　sheriff？

hard　to　say。　we　might　of　just　missed　him。

you　think　this　boy　has　got　any　notion　of　the　sorts　of　sons　of　bitches　that　are　huntin　him？

i　dont　know。　he　ought　to。　he　seen　the　same　things　i　seen　and　it　made　a　impression　on　　me。

theyre　in　a　world　of　trouble；　aint　they？

yes　they　are。

bell　walked　back　into　the　livingroom。　he　sat　on　the　sofa。　wendell　stood　in　the　doorway。

he　was　still　holding　the　revolver　in　his　hand。　what　are　you　thinkin？　he　said。

bell　shook　his　head。　he　didnt　look　up。

by　wednesday　half　of　the　state　of　texas　was　on　its　way　to　sanderson。　bell　sat　at　his　　table　in　the　cafe　and　read　the　news。　he　lowered　the　paper　and　looked　up。　a　man　about　　thirty　years　old　that　hed　never　seen　before　was　standing　there。　he　introduced　himself　as　　a　reporter　for　the　san　antonio　light。　whats　all　this　about；　sheriff？　he　said。

it　appears　to　be　a　huntin　accident。

hunting　accident？

yessir。

how　could　it　be　a　hunting　accident？　youre　pulling　my　leg。

let　me　ask　you　somethin。

all　right。

last　year　nineteen　felony　charges　were　filed　in　the　terrell　county　court。　how　many　of　　those　would　you　say　were　not　drug　related？

i　dont　know。

two。　in　the　meantime　i　got　a　county　the　size　of　delaware　that　is　full　of　people　who　　need　my　help。　what　do　you　think　about　that？

i　dont　know。

i　dont　either。　now　i　just　need　to　eat　my　breakfast　here。　i　got　kindly　a　full　day　ahead。

he　and　torbert　drove　out　in　torberts　four　wheel　drive　truck。　all　was　as　theyd　left　it。

they　parked　a　ways　from　mosss　truck　and　waited。　its　ten；　torbert　said。

what？

its　ten。　deceased。　we　forgot　about　old　wyrick。　its　ten。

bell　nodded。　that