No Country for Old Men-第39章

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s　　sorry　because　i　didnt　think　he　done　it　and　he　just　rared　back　and　laughed　and　he　said：　　where　do　they　find　somebody　like　you？　have　they　got　you　in　diapers　yet？　i　shot　that　son　　of　a　bitch　right　between　the　eyes　and　drug　him　back　to　his　car　by　the　hair　of　the　head　　and　set　the　car　on　fire　and　burned　him　to　grease。

well。　these　people　can　read　you　pretty　good。　if　i　had　of　smacked　him　in　the　mouth　that　　guard　would　not　of　said　word　one。　and　he　knew　that。　he　knew　that。

i　seen　that　county　prosecutor　in　out　of　there　and　i　knowed　him　just　a　little　to　talk　to　　and　we　stopped　and　visited　some。　i　didnt　tell　him　what　had　happened　but　he　knew　about　　me　tryin　to　help　that　man　and　he　might　could　of　put　two　and　two　together。　i　dont　know。

he　didnt　ask　me　nothin　about　him。　didnt　ask　me　what　i　was　doin　up　there　or　nothin。

theres　two　kinds　of　people　that　dont　ask　a　lot　of　questions。　one　is　too　dumb　to　and　the　　other　dont　need　to。　ill　leave　it　to　you　to　guess　which　one　i　figure　him　to　be。　he　was　just　　standin　there　in　the　hall　with　his　briefcase。　like　he　had　all　the　time　in　the　world。　he　told　　me　that　when　he　got　out　of　law　school　he　had　been　a　defense　attorney　for　a　while。　he　　said　it　made　his　life　too　plicated。　he　didnt　want　to　spend　the　rest　of　his　life　bein　lied　　to　on　a　daily　basis　just　as　a　matter　of　course。　i　told　him　that　a　lawyer　one　time　told　me　　that　in　law　school　they　try　and　teach　you　not　to　worry　about　right　and　wrong　but　just　　follow　the　law　and　i　said　i　wasnt　so　sure　about　that。　he　thought　about　that　and　he　　nodded　and　he　said　that　he　pretty　much　had　to　agree　with　that　lawyer。　he　said　that　if　　you　dont　follow　the　law　right　and　wrong　wont　save　you。　which　i　guess　i　can　see　the　　sense　of　but　it　dont　change　the　way　i　think。　finally　i　asked　him　if　he　knew　who　　mammon　was。　and　he　said：　mammon？

yes。　mammon。

you　mean　like　in　god　and　mammon？

yessir。

well；　he　said；　i　cant　say　as　i　do。　i　know　its　in　the　bible。　is　it　the　devil？

i　dont　know。　im　goin　to　look　it　up。　i　got　a　feelin　i　ought　to　know　who　it　is。

he　kindly　smiled　and　he　said：　you　sound　like　he　might　be　getting　ready　to　take　up　the　　spare　bedroom。

well；　i　said；　that　would　be　one　concern。　in　any　case　i　feel　i　need　to　familiarize　myself　　with　his　habits。

he　nodded。　kind　of　smiled。　then　he　did　ask　me　a　question。　he　said：　this　mystery　man　　you　think　killed　that　trooper　and　burned　him　up　in　his　car。　what　do　you　know　about　him？

i　dont　know　nothin。　i　wish　i　did。　or　i　think　i　wish　it。

yeah。

hes　pretty　much　a　ghost。

is　he　pretty　much　or　is　he　one？

no；　hes　out　there。　i　wish　he　wasnt。　but　he　is。

he　nodded。　i　guess　if　he　was　a　ghost　you　wouldnt　have　to　worry　about　him。

i　said　that　was　right；　but　ive　thought　about　it　since　and　i　think　the　answer　to　his　　question　is　that　when　you　encounter　certain　things　in　the　world；　the　evidence　for　certain　　things；　you　realize　that　you　have　e　upon　somethin　that　you　may　very　well　not　be　　equal　to　and　i　think　that　this　is　one　of　them　things。　when　youve　said　that　its　real　and　　not　just　in　your　head　im　not　all　that　sure　what　it　is　you　have　said。

loretta　did　say　one　thing。　she　said　somethin　to　the　effect　that　it　wasnt　my　fault　and　i　　said　it　was。　and　i　had　thought　about　that　too。　i　told　her　that　if　you　got　a　bad　enough　dog　　in　your　yard　people　will　stay　out　of　it。　and　they　didnt。

when　he　got　home　she　wasnt　there　but　her　car　was。　he　walked　out　to　the　barn　and　　her　horse　was　gone。　he　started　to　go　back　to　the　house　but　then　he　stopped　and　he　　thought　about　her　maybe　being　hurt　and　he　went　to　the　tackroom　and　got　his　saddle　　down　and　carried　it　out　into　the　bay　and　whistled　at　his　horse　and　watched　his　head　　e　up　over　the　stall　door　down　at　the　end　of　the　barn　with　his　ears　scissoring。

he　rode　out　with　the　reins　in　one　hand；　patting　the　horse。　he　talked　to　the　horse　as　he　　went。　feels　good　to　be　out；　dont　it。　you　know　where　they　went？　thats　all　right。　dont　　you　worry　about　it。　well　find　em。

forty　minutes　later　he　saw　her　and　stopped　and　sat　the　horse　and　watched。　she　was　　riding　along　a　red　dirt　ridge　to　the　south　sitting　with　her　hands　crossed　on　the　pommel；　　looking　toward　the　last　of　the　sun；　the　horse　slogging　slowly　through　the　loose　sandy　　dirt；　the　red　stain　of　it　following　them　in　the　still　air。　thats　my　heart　yonder；　he　told　the　　horse。　it　always　was。

they　rode　together　out　to　warners　well　and　dismounted　and　sat　under　the　cottonwoods　　while　the　horses　grazed。　doves　ing　in　to　the　tanks。　late　in　the　year。　we　wont　be　　seein　them　much　longer。

she　smiled。　late　in　the　year；　she　said。

you　hate　it。

leavin　here？

leavin　here。

im　all　right。

because　of　me　though；　aint　it？

she　smiled。　well；　she　said；　past　a　certain　age　i　dont　guess　there　is　any　such　thing　as　　good　change。

i　guess　were　in　trouble　then。

well　be　all　right。　i　think　im　goin　to　like　havin　you　home　for　dinner。

i　like　bein　home　any　time。

i　remember　when　daddy　retired　mama　told　him：　i　said　for　better　or　for　worse　but　i　　didnt　say　nothin　about　lunch。

bell　smiled。　ill　bet　she　wishes　he　could　e　home　now。

ill　bet　she　does　too。　ill　bet　i　do；　for　that　matter。

i　shouldnt　ought　to　of　said　that。

you　didnt　say　nothin　wrong。

youd　say　that　anyways。

thats　my　job。

bell　smiled。　you　wouldnt　tell　me　if　i　was　in　the　wrong？

nope。

what　if　i　wanted　you　to？

tough。

he　watched　the　little　brindled　desert　doves　e　stooping　in　under　the　dull　rose　light。　is　　that　true？　he　said。

pretty　much。　not　altogether。

is　that　a　good　idea？

well；　she　said。　whatever　it　was　i　expect　youd　get　it　figured　out　with　no　help　from　me。

and　if　it　was　somethin　we　just　disagreed　about　i　reckon　id　get　over　it。

where　i　might　not。

she　smiled　and　put　her　hand　on　his。　put　it　up；　she　said。　its　nice　just　to　be　here。

yes　mam。　it　is　indeed。

。。。！



No　Country　for　Old　MenXII

小！说
ill　wake　loretta　up　just　bein　awake　myself。　be　layin　there　and　shell　say　my　　name。　like　askin　me　if　im　there。　sometimes　ill　go　in　the　kitchen　and　get　her　a　ginger　　ale　and　well　set　there　in　the　dark。　i　wish　i　had　her　ease　about　things。　the　world　ive　　seen　has　not　made　me　a　spiritual　person。　not　like　her。　she　worries　about　me；　too。　i　see　　it。　i　reckon　i　thought　that　because　i　was　older　and　the　man　that　she　would　learn　from　　me　and　in　many　respects　she　has。　but　i　know　where　the　debt　lies。

i　think　i　know　where　were　headed。　were　bein　bought　with　our　own　money。　and　it　aint　　just　the　drugs。　there　is　fortunes　bein　accumulated　out　there　that　they　dont　nobody　even　　know　about。　what　do　we　think　is　goin　to　e　of　that　money？　money　that　can　buy　　whole　countries。　it　done　has。　can　it　buy　this　one？　i　dont　think　so。　but　it　will　put　you　in　　bed　with　people　you　ought　not　to　be　there　with。　its　not　even　a　law　enforcement　problem。

i　doubt　that　it　ever　was。　theres　always　been　narcotics。　but　people　dont　just　up　and　　decide　to　dope　theirselves　for　no　reason。　by　the　millions。　i　dont　have　no　answer　about　　that。　in　particular　i　dont　have　no　answer　to　take　heart　from。　i　told　a　reporter　here　a　　while　back　—　young　girl；　seemed　nice　enough。　she　was　just　tryin　to　be　a　reporter。　she　　said：　sheriff　how　e　you　to　let　crime　get　so　out　of　hand　in　your　county？　sounded　like　　a　fair　question　i　reckon。　maybe　it　was　a　fair　question。　anyway　i　told　her；　i　said：　it　starts　　when　you　begin　to　overlook　bad　manners。　any　time　you　quit　hearin　sir　and　mam　the　　end　is　pretty　much　in　sight。　i　told　her；　i　said：　it　reaches　into　ever　strata。　youve　heard　　about　that　aint　you？　ever　strata？　you　finally　get　into　the　sort　of　breakdown　in　　mercantile　ethics　that　leaves　people　settin　around　out　in　the　desert　dead　in　their　　vehicles　and　by　then　its　just　too　late。

she　give　me　kindly　a　funny　look。　so　the　last　thing　i　told　her；　and　maybe　i　shouldnt　of　　said　it；　i　told　her　that　you　cant　have　a　dope　business　without　dopers。　a　lot　of　em　are　　well　dressed　and　holdin　down　goodpayin　jobs　too。　i　said：　you　might　even　know　some　　yourself　　the　other　thing　is　the　old　people；　and　i　keep　in　back　to　them。　they　look　at　me　its　　always　a　question。　years　back　i　dont　remember　that。　i　dont　remember　it　when　i　was　　sheriff　back　in　the　fifties。　you　see　em　and　they　dont　even　look　confused。　they　just　look　　crazy。　that　bothers　me。　its　like　they　woke　up　and　they　dont　know　how　they　got　where　　theyre　at。　well；　in　a　manner　of　speakin　they　dont。

at　supper　this　evenin　she　told　me　shed　been　readin　st　john。　the　revelations。　any　time　i　　get　to　talkin　about　how　things　are　shell　find　somethin　in　the　bible　so　i　asked　her　if　　revelations　had　anything　to　say　about　the　shape　things　was　takin　and　she　said　shed　let　　me　know。　i　asked　her　if　there　was　anything　in　there　about　green　hair　and　nosebones　and　　she　said　not　in　so　many　words　there　wasnt。　i　dont　know　if　thats　a　good　sign　or　not。

then　she　e　around　behind　my　chair　and　put　her　arms　around　my　neck　and　bit　me　on　　the　ear。　shes　a　very　young　woman　in　a　lot　of　ways。　if　i　didnt　have　her　i　dont　know　what　　i　would　have。　well；　yes　i　do。　you　wouldnt　need　a　box　to　put　it　in；　neither。

it　was　a　cold　blustery　day　when　he　walked　out　of　the　courthouse　for　the　last　time。　some　　men　could　put　their　arms　around　a　crying　woman　but　it　never　felt　natural　to　him。　he　　walked　down　the　steps　and　out　the　back　door