No Country for Old Men-第23章

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he　registered　and　got　the　key　and　hobbled　up　the　steps　and　down　the　hall　to　his　room　　and　went　in　and　locked　the　door　and　lay　on　the　bed　with　the　shotgun　across　his　chest　　staring　at　the　ceiling。　he　could　think　of　no　reason　for　the　transponder　sending　unit　to　be　　in　the　hotel。　he　ruled　out　moss　because　he　thought　moss　was　almost　certainly　dead。

that　left　the　police。　or　some　agent　of　the　matacumbe　petroleum　group。　who　must　　think　that　he　thought　that　they　thought　that　he　thought　they　were　very　dumb。　he　thought　　about　that。

when　he　woke　it　was　ten…thirty　at　night　and　he　lay　there　in　the　half　dark　and　the　quiet　　but　he　knew　what　the　answer　was。　he　got　up　and　put　the　shotgun　behind　the　pillows　and　　stuck　the　pistol　into　the　waistband　of　his　trousers。　then　he　went　out　and　limped　down　　the　stairs　to　the　desk。

the　clerk　was　sitting　reading　a　magazine　and　when　he　saw　chigurh　he　stuck　the　　magazine　under　the　desk　and　rose。　yessir；　he　said。

id　like　to　see　the　registration。

are　you　a　police　officer？

no。　im　not。

im　afraid　i　cant　do　that　sir。

yes　you　can。

when　he　came　back　up　he　stopped　and　stood　listening　in　the　hallway　outside　his　door。

he　went　in　and　got　the　shotgun　and　the　receiver　and　then　walked　down　to　the　room　with　　the　tape　across　it　and　held　the　box　to　the　door　and　turned　it　on。　he　went　down　to　the　　second　door　and　tried　the　reception　there。　then　he　came　back　to　the　first　room　and　　opened　the　door　with　the　key　from　the　desk　and　stepped　back　and　stood　against　the　　hallway　wall。

he　could　hear　traffic　in　the　street　beyond　the　parking　lot　but　still　he　thought　the　window　　was　closed。　there　was　no　air　moving。　he　looked　quickly　into　the　room。　bed　pulled　　away　from　the　wall。　bathroom　door　open。　he　checked　the　safety　on　the　shotgun。　he　　stepped　across　the　doorway　to　the　other　side。

there　was　no　one　in　the　room。　he　scanned　the　room　with　the　box　and　found　the　sending　　unit　in　the　drawer　of　the　bedside　table。　he　sat　on　the　bed　turning　it　in　his　hand。　small　　lozenge　of　burnished　metal　the　size　of　a　domino。　he　looked　out　the　window　at　the　　parking　lot。　his　leg　hurt。　he　put　the　piece　of　metal　in　his　pocket　and　turned　off　the　　receiver　and　rose　and　left；　pulling　the　door　shut　behind　him。　inside　the　room　the　phone　　rang。　he　thought　about　that　for　a　minute。　then　he　set　the　transponder　on　the　windowsill　　in　the　hallway　and　turned　and　went　back　down　to　the　lobby。

and　there　he　waited　for　wells。　no　one　would　do　that。　he　sat　in　a　leather　armchair　　pushed　back　into　the　corner　where　he　could　see　both　the　front　door　and　the　hallway　to　　the　rear。　wells　came　in　at　eleven…thirteen　and　chigurh　rose　and　followed　him　up　the　　stairs；　the　shotgun　wrapped　loosely　in　the　newspaper　hed　been　reading。　halfway　up　the　　stairs　wells　turned　and　looked　back　and　chigurh　let　the　paper　fall　and　raised　the　　shotgun　to　his　waist。　hello；　carson；　he　said。

they　sat　in　wells　room；　wells　on　the　bed　and　chigurh　in　the　chair　by　the　window。　you　　dont　have　to　do　this；　wells　said。　im　a　daytrader。　i　could　just　go　home。

you　could。

id　make　it　worth　your　while。　take　you　to　an　atm。　everybody　just　walks　away。　theres　　about　fourteen　grand　in　it。

good　payday。

i　think　so。

chigurh　looked　out　the　window；　the　shotgun　across　his　knee。　getting　hurt　changed　me；　　he　said。　changed　my　perspective。　ive　moved　on；　in　a　way。　some　things　have　fallen　into　　place　that　were　not　there　before。　i　thought　they　were；　but　they　werent。　the　best　way　i　　can　put　it　is　that　ive　sort　of　caught　up　with　myself。　thats　not　a　bad　thing。　it　was　　overdue。

its　still　a　good　payday。

it　is。　its　just　in　the　wrong　currency。

wells　eyed　the　distance　between　them。　senseless。　maybe　twenty　years　ago。　probably　　not　even　then。　do　what　you　have　to　do；　he　said。

chigurh　sat　slouched　casually　in　the　chair；　his　chin　resting　against　his　knuckles。

watching　wells。　watching　his　last　thoughts。　hed　seen　it　all　before。　so　had　wells。

it　started　before　that；　he　said。　i　didnt　realize　it　at　the　time。　when　i　went　down　on　the　　border　i　stopped　in　a　cafe　in　this　town　and　there　were　some　men　in　there　drinking　beer　　and　one　of　them　kept　looking　back　at　me。　i　didnt　pay　any　attention　to　him。　i　ordered　my　　dinner　and　ate。　but　when　i　walked　up　to　the　counter　to　pay　the　check　i　had　to　go　past　　them　and　they　were　all　grinning　and　he　said　something　that　was　hard　to　ignore。　do　you　　know　what　i　did？

yeah。　i　know　what　you　did。

i　ignored　him。　i　paid　my　bill　and　i　had　started　to　push　through　the　door　when　he　said　the　　same　thing　again。　i　turned　and　looked　at　him。　i　was　just　standing　there　picking　my　teeth　　with　a　toothpick　and　i　gave　him　a　little　gesture　with　my　head。　for　him　to　e　outside。

if　he　would　like　to。　and　then　i　went　out。　and　i　waited　in　the　parking　lot。　and　he　and　his　　friends　came　out　and　i　killed　him　in　the　parking　lot　and　then　i　got　into　my　car。　they　　were　all　gathered　around　him。　they　didnt　know　what　had　happened。　they　didnt　know　　that　he　was　dead。　one　of　them　said　that　i　had　put　a　sleeper　hold　on　him　and　then　the　　others　all　said　that。　they　were　trying　to　get　him　to　sit　up。　they　were　slapping　him　and　　trying　to　get　him　to　sit　up。　an　hour　later　i　was　pulled　over　by　a　sheriffs　deputy　outside　　of　sonora　texas　and　i　let　him　take　me　into　town　in　handcuffs。　im　not　sure　why　i　did　　this　but　i　think　i　wanted　to　see　if　i　could　extricate　myself　by　an　act　of　will。　because　i　　believe　that　one　can。　that　such　a　thing　is　possible。　but　it　was　a　foolish　thing　to　do。　a　　vain　thing　to　do。　do　you　understand？

do　i　understand？

yes。

do　you　have　any　notion　of　how　goddamned　crazy　you　are？

the　nature　of　this　conversation？

the　nature　of　you。

chigurh　leaned　back。　he　studied　wells。　tell　me　something；　he　said。

what。

if　the　rule　you　followed　led　you　to　this　of　what　use　was　the　rule？

i　dont　know　what　youre　talking　about。

im　talking　about　your　life。　in　which　now　everything　can　be　seen　at　once。

im　not　interested　in　your　bullshit；　anton。

i　thought　you　might　want　to　explain　yourself。

i　dont　have　to　explain　myself　to　you。

not　to　me。　to　yourself。　i　thought　you　might　have　something　to　say。

you　go　to　hell。

you　surprise　me；　thats　all。　i　expected　something　different。　it　calls　past　events　into　　question。　dont　you　think　so？

you　think　id　trade　places　with　you？

yes。　i　do。　im　here　and　you　are　there。　in　a　few　minutes　i　will　still　be　here。

wells　looked　out　the　darkened　window。　i　know　where　the　satchel　is；　he　said。

if　you　knew　where　the　satchel　was　you　would　have　it。

i　was　going　to　have　to　wait　until　there　was　no　one　around。　till　night。　two　in　the　　morning。　something　like　that。

you　know　where　the　satchel　is。

yes。

i　know　something　better。

whats　that。

i　know　where　its　going　to　be。

and　where　is　that。

it　will　be　brought　to　me　and　placed　at　my　feet。

wells　wiped　his　mouth　with　the　back　of　his　hand。　it　wouldnt　cost　you　anything。　its　　twenty　minutes　from　here。

you　know　thats　not　going　to　happen。　dont　you？

wells　didnt　answer。

dont　you？

you　go　to　hell。

you　think　you　can　put　it　off　with　your　eyes。

what　do　you　mean？

you　think　that　as　long　as　you　keep　looking　at　me　you　can　put　it　off。

i　dont　think　that。

yes　you　do。　you　should　admit　your　situation。　there　would　be　more　dignity　in　it。　im　　trying　to　help　you。

you　son　of　a　bitch。

you　think　you　wont　close　your　eyes。　but　you　will。

wells　didnt　answer。　chigurh　watched　him。　i　know　what　else　you　think；　he　said。

you　dont　know　what　i　think。

you　think　im　like　you。　that　its　just　greed。　but　im　not　like　you。　i　live　a　simple　life。

just　do　it。

you　wouldnt　understand。　a　man　like　you。

just　do　it。

yes；　chigurh　said。　they　always　say　that。　but　they　dont　mean　it；　do　they？

you　piece　of　shit。

its　not　good；　carson。　you　need　to　pose　yourself。　if　you　dont　respect　me　what　must　　you　think　of　yourself？　look　at　where　you　are。

you　think　youre　outside　of　everything；　wells　said。　but　youre　not。

not　everything。　no。

youre　not　outside　of　death。

it　doesnt　mean　to　me　what　it　does　to　you。

you　think　im　afraid　to　die？

yes。

just　do　it。　do　it　and　goddamn　you。

its　not　the　same；　chigurh　said。　youve　been　giving　up　things　for　years　to　get　here。　i　　dont　think　i　even　understood　that。　how　does　a　man　decide　in　what　order　to　abandon　his　　life？　were　in　the　same　line　of　work。　up　to　a　point。　did　you　hold　me　in　such　contempt？

why　would　you　do　that？　how　did　you　let　yourself　get　in　this　situation？

wells　looked　out　at　the　street。　what　time　is　it？　he　said。

chigurh　raised　his　wrist　and　looked　at　his　watch。　eleven　fifty…seven　he　said。

wells　nodded。　by　the　old　womans　calendar　ive　got　three　more　minutes。　well　the　hell　　with　it。　i　think　i　saw　all　this　ing　a　long　time　ago。　almost　like　a　dream。　déjà　vu。　he　　looked　at　chigurh。　im　not　interested　in　your　opinions；　he　said。　just　do　it。　you　　goddamned　psychopath。　do　it　and　goddamn　you　to　hell。

he　did　close　his　eyes。　he　closed　his　eyes　and　he　turned　his　head　and　he　raised　one　hand　　to　fend　away　what　could　not　be　fended　away。　chigurh　shot　him　in　the　face。　everything　　that　wells　had　ever　known　or　thought　or　loved　drained　slowly　down　the　wall　behind　　him。　his　mothers　face；　his　first　munion；　women　he　had　known。　the　faces　of　men　　as　they　died　on　their