No Country for Old Men-第28章

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　seat　and　the　document　case　and　his　bag　of　clothes　　sitting　in　the　floor　on　the　passenger　side　of　the　truck。

at　the　onramp　at　boerne　there　was　a　girl　hitchhiking　and　moss　pulled　over　and　blew　the　　horn　and　watched　her　in　the　rearview　mirror。　running；　her　blue　nylon　knapsack　slung　　over　one　shoulder。　she　climbed　in　the　truck　and　looked　at　him。　fifteen；　sixteen。　red　　hair。　how　far　are　you　goin？　she　said。

can　you　drive？

yeah。　i　can　drive。　it　aint　no　stick　shift　is　it？

no。　get　out　and　e　around。

she　left　her　knapsack　on　the　seat　and　got　out　of　the　truck　and　crossed　in　front　of　it。

moss　pushed　the　knapsack　into　the　floor　and　eased　himself　across　and　she　got　in　and　put　　the　truck　in　drive　and　they　pulled　out　onto　the　interstate。

how　old　are　you？

eighteen。

bullshit。　what　are　you　doin　out　here？　dont　you　know　its　dangerous　to　hitchhike？

yeah。　i　know　it。

he　took　off　his　hat　and　put　it　on　the　seat　beside　him　and　leaned　back　and　closed　his　eyes。

dont　go　over　the　speed　limit；　he　said。　you　get　us　stopped　by　the　cops　and　you　and　me　　both　will　be　in　a　shitpot　full　of　trouble。

all　right。

im　serious。　you　go　over　the　speed　limit　and　ill　set　your　ass　out　by　the　side　of　the　road。

all　right。

he　tried　to　sleep　but　he　couldnt。　he　was　in　a　lot　of　pain。　after　a　while　he　sat　up　and　got　　his　hat　off　the　seat　and　put　it　on　and　looked　over　at　the　speedometer。

can　i　ask　you　somethin？　she　said。

you　can　ask。

are　you　runnin　from　the　law？

moss　eased　himself　in　the　seat　and　looked　at　her　and　looked　out　at　the　highway。　what　　makes　you　ask　that？

on　account　of　what　you　said　back　yonder。　about　bein　stopped　by　the　police。

what　if　i　was？

then　i　think　i　ought　to　just　get　out　up　here。

you　dont　think　that。　you　just　want　to　know　where　you　stand。

she　looked　at　him　out　of　the　corner　of　her　eye。　moss　studied　the　passing　country。　if　you　　spent　three　days　with　me；　he　said；　i　could　have　you　holdin　up　gas　stations。　be　no　trick　at　　all。

she　gave　him　a　funny　little　half　smile。　is　that　what　you　do？　she　said。　hold　up　gas　　stations？

no。　i　dont　have　to。　are　you　hungry？

im　all　right。

when　did　you　eat　last。

i　dont　like　for　people　to　start　askin　me　when　i　eat　last。

all　right。　when　did　you　eat　last？

i　knowed　you　was　a　smart…ass　from　the　time　i　got　in　the　truck。

yeah。　pull　off　up　here　at　this　next　exit。　its　supposed　to　be　four　miles。　and　reach　me　that　　machinegun　from　under　the　seat。

bell　drove　slowly　across　the　cattleguard　and　got　out　and　closed　the　gate　and　got　back　in　　the　truck　and　drove　across　the　pasture　and　parked　at　the　well　and　got　out　and　walked　　over　to　the　tank。　he　put　his　hand　in　the　water　and　raised　a　palmful　and　let　it　spill　again。

he　took　off　his　hat　and　passed　his　wet　hand　through　his　hair　and　looked　up　at　the　　windmill。　he　looked　out　at　the　slow　dark　elliptic　of　the　blades　turning　in　the　dry　and　　windbent　grass。　a　low　wooden　trundling　under　his　feet。　then　he　just　stood　there　paying　　the　brim　of　his　hat　slowly　through　his　fingers。　the　posture　of　a　man　perhaps　who　has　　just　buried　something。　i　dont　know　a　damn　thing；　he　said。

when　he　got　home　she　had　supper　waiting。　he　dropped　the　keys　to　the　pickup　in　the　　kitchen　drawer　and　went　to　the　sink　to　wash　his　hands。　his　wife　laid　a　piece　of　paper　on　　the　counter　and　he　stood　looking　at　it。

did　she　say　where　she　was？　this　is　a　west　texas　number。

she　just　said　it　was　carla　jean　and　give　the　number。

he　went　to　the　sideboard　and　called。　she　and　her　grandmother　were　in　a　motel　outside　　of　el　paso。　i　need　for　you　to　tell　me　somethin；　she　said。

all　right。

is　your　word　good？

yes　it　is。

even　to　me？

id　say　especially　to　you。

he　could　hear　her　breathing　in　the　receiver。　traffic　in　the　distance。

sheriff？

yes　mam。

if　i　tell　you　where　he　called　from　do　you　give　your　word　that　no　harm　will　e　to　him。

i　can　give　my　word　that　no　harm　will　e　to　him　from　me。　i　can　do　that。

after　a　while　she　said：　okay。

the　man　sitting　at　the　little　plywood　table　that　folded　up　from　the　wall　onto　a　hinged　leg　　finished　writing　on　the　pad　of　paper　and　took　off　the　headset　and　laid　it　on　the　table　in　　front　of　him　and　passed　both　hands　backwards　over　the　sides　of　his　black　hair。　he　　turned　and　looked　toward　the　rear　of　the　trailer　where　the　second　man　was　stretched　out　　on　the　bed。　listo？　he　said。

the　man　sat　up　and　swung　his　legs　to　the　floor。　he　sat　there　for　a　minute　and　then　he　　rose　and　came　forward。

you　got　it？

i　got　it。

he　tore　the　sheet　off　the　pad　and　handed　it　to　him　and　he　read　it　and　folded　it　and　put　it　　into　his　shirtpocket。　then　he　reached　up　and　opened　one　of　the　kitchen　cabinets　and　　took　out　a　camouflage…finished　submachinegun　and　a　pair　of　spare　clips　and　pushed　　open　the　door　and　stepped　down　into　the　lot　and　shut　the　door　behind　him。　he　crossed　　the　gravel　to　where　a　black　plymouth　barracuda　was　parked　and　opened　the　door　and　　pitched　the　machinegun　in　on　the　far　seat　and　lowered　himself　in　and　shut　the　door　and　　started　the　engine。　he　blipped　the　throttle　a　couple　of　times　and　then　pulled　out　onto　the　　blacktop　and　turned　on　the　lights　and　shifted　into　second　gear　and　went　up　the　road　with　　the　car　squatting　on　the　big　rear　tires　and　fishtailing　and　the　tires　whining　and　　unspooling　clouds　of　rubbersmoke　behind　him。

　。。



No　Country　for　Old　MenVIII

～　　
ive　lost　a　lot　of　friends　over　these　last　few　years。　not　all　of　em　older　than　me　　neither。　one　of　the　things　you　realize　about　gettin　older　is　that　not　everbody　is　goin　to　　get　older　with　you。　you　try　to　help　the　people　thatre　payin　your　salary　and　of　course　　you　cant　help　but　think　about　the　kind　of　record　you　leave。　this　county　has　not　had　a　　unsolved　homicide　in　forty…one　years。　now　we　got　nine　of　em　in　one　week。　will　they　be　　solved？　i　dont　know。　ever　day　is　against　you。　time　is　not　on　your　side。　i　dont　know　as　　itd　be　any　pliment　if　you　was　known　for　second　guessin　a　bunch　of　dopedealers。

not　that　they　have　all　that　much　trouble　second　guessin　us。　they　dont　have　no　respect　　for　the　law？　that　aint　half　of　it。　they　dont　even　think　about　the　law。　it　dont　seem　to　even　　concern　em。　of　course　here　a　while　back　in　san　antonio　they　shot　and　killed　a　federal　　judge。　i　guess　he　concerned　em。　add　to　that　that　theres　peace　officers　along　this　border　　gettin　rich　off　of　narcotics。　thats　a　painful　thing　to　know。　or　it　is　for　me。　i　dont　believe　　that　was　true　even　ten　years　ago。　a　crooked　peace　officer　is　just　a　damned　abomination。

thats　all　you　can　say　about　it。　hes　ten　times　worse　than　the　criminal。　and　this　aint　　goin　away。　and　thats　about　the　only　thing　i　do　know。　it　aint　goin　away。　where　would　it　　go　to？

and　this　may　sound　ignorant　but　i　think　for　me　the　worst　of　it　is　knowin　that　probably　　the　only　reason　im　even　still　alive　is　that　they　have　no　respect　for　me。　and　thats　very　　painful。　very　painful。　it　has　done　got　way　beyond　anything　you　might　of　thought　about　　even　a　few　years　ago。　here　a　while　back　they　found　a　dc…4　over　in　presidio　county。

just　settin　out　in　the　desert。　they　had　e　in　there　of　a　night　and　graded　out　a　sort　of　　landin　strip　and　set　out　rows　of　tarbarrels　for　lights　but　there　was　no　way　you　could　of　　flown　that　thing　back　out　of　there。　it　was　stripped　out　to　the　walls。　just　had　a　pilots　seat　　in　it。　you　could　smell　the　marijuana；　you　didnt　need　no　dog。　well　the　sheriff　over　there　　—　and　i　wont　say　his　name　—　he　wanted　to　get　set　up　and　nail　em　when　they　e　back　　for　the　plane　and　finally　somebody　told　him　that　they　wasnt　nobody　in　back。　never　　had　been。　when　he　finally　understood　what　it　was　they　was　tellin　him　he　just　got　real　　quiet　and　then　he　turned　around　and　got　in　his　car　and　left。

when　they　was　havin　them　dope　wars　down　across　the　border　you　could　not　buy　a　half　　quart　masonjar　nowheres。　to　put　up　your　preserves　and　such。　your　chow　chow。　they　　wasnt　none　to　be　had。　what　it　was　they　was　usin　them　jars　to　put　handgrenades　in。　if　　you　flew　over　somebodys　house　or　pound　and　you　dropped　grenades　on　em　theyd　　go　off　fore　they　hit　the　ground。　so　what　they　done　was　theyd　pull　the　pin　and　stick　em　　down　in　the　jar　and　screw　the　lid　back　on。　then　whenever　they　hit　the　ground　the　　glassd　break　and　release　the　spoon。　the　lever。　they　would　preload　cases　of　them　things。

hard　to　believe　that　a　man　would　ride　around　at　night　in　a　small　plane　with　a　cargo　　such　as　that；　but　they　done　it。

i　think　if　you　were　satan　and　you　were　settin　around　tryin　to　think　up　somethin　that　　would　just　bring　the　human　race　to　its　knees　what　you　would　probably　e　up　with　is　　narcotics。　maybe　he　did。　i　told　that　to　somebody　at　breakfast　the　other　mornin　and　they　　asked　me　if　i　believed　in　satan。　i　said　well　that　aint　the　point。　and　they　said　i　know　but　　do　you？　i　had　to　think　about　that。　i　guess　as　a　boy　i　did。　e　the　middle　years　my　　belief　i　reckon　had　waned　somewhat。　now　im　startin　to　lean　back　the　other　way。　he　　explains　a　lot　of　things　that　otherwise　dont　have　no　explanation。　or　not　to　me　they　dont。

moss　set　the　case　in　the　booth　and　eased　himself　in　after　it。　he　lifted　the　menu　　from　the　wire　rack　where　it　stood　along　with　the　mustard　and　ketchup。　she　scooted　into　　the　booth　opposite。　he　didnt　look　up。　what　are　you　havin；　he