No Country for Old Men-第6章

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　　grass　beside　him。　it　was　only　another　ten　minutes　to　the　top　but　he　didnt　think　he　had　　ten　minutes。　on　the　far　side　of　the　river　a　hawk　set　forth　from　the　cliffs　whistling　thinly。

he　waited。　after　a　while　a　man　came　out　of　the　cane　upriver　and　paused　and　stood。　he　　was　carrying　a　machinegun。　a　second　man　emerged　below　him。　they　glanced　at　one　　another　and　then　came　on。

they　passed　below　him　and　he　watched　them　out　of　sight　down　the　river。　he　wasnt　　really　even　thinking　about　them。　he　was　thinking　about　his　truck。　when　the　courthouse　　opened　at　nine　oclock　monday　morning　someone　was　going　to　be　calling　in　the　vehicle　　number　and　getting　his　name　and　address。　this　was　some　twenty…four　hours　away。　by　　then　they　would　know　who　he　was　and　they　would　never　stop　looking　for　him。　never；　　as　in　never。

he　had　a　brother　in　california　he　was　supposed　to　tell　what？　arthur　theres　some　old　　boys　on　their　way　down　there　to　see　you　who　propose　to　lower　your　balls　between　the　　jaws　of　a　six…inch　machinists　vise　and　mence　crankin　on　the　handle　a　quarter　turn　at　　a　time　whether　you　know　where　im　at　or　not。　you　might　want　to　think　about　movin　to　　china。

he　sat　up　and　wrapped　his　feet　and　pulled　the　boots　on　and　stood　and　started　up　the　last　　stretch　of　canyon　to　the　rim。　where　he　crested　out　the　country　lay　dead　flat；　stretching　　away　to　the　south　and　to　the　east。　red　dirt　and　creosote。　mountains　in　the　far　and　middle　　distance。　nothing　out　there。　heatshimmer。　he　stuck　the　pistol　in　his　belt　and　looked　　down　at　the　river　one　more　time　and　then　set　out　east。　langtry　texas　was　thirty　miles　as　　the　crow　flies。　maybe　less。　ten　hours。　twelve。　his　feet　were　already　hurting。　his　leg　　hurt。　his　chest。　his　arm。　the　river　dropped　away　behind　him。　he　hadnt　even　taken　a　　drink。

xs



No　Country　for　Old　MenII

：
i　dont　know　if　law　enforcement　work　is　more　dangerous　now　than　what　it　used　to　be　　or　not。　i　know　when　i　first　took　office　youd　have　a　fistfight　somewheres　and　youd　go　to　　break　it　up　and　theyd　offer　to　fight　you。　and　sometimes　you　had　to　acmodate　em。

they　wouldnt　have　it　no　other　way。　and　youd　better　not　lose；　neither。　you　dont　see　that　　so　much　no　more；　but　maybe　you　see　worse。　i　had　a　man　pull　a　gun　on　me　one　time　and　　it　happened　that　i　grabbed　it　just　as　he　went　to　fire　and　the　plunger　on　the　hammer　went　　right　through　the　fleshy　part　of　my　thumb。　you　can　see　the　mark　of　it　there。　but　that　man　　had　ever　intention　of　killin　me。　a　few　years　ago　and　it　wasnt　that　many　neither　i　was　　goin　out　one　of　these　little　two　lane　blacktop　roads　of　a　night　and　i　e　up　on　a　pickup　　truck　that　they　was　two　old　boys　settin　in　the　bed　of　it。　they　kindly　blinked　in　the　lights　　and　i　backed　off　some　but　the　truck　had　coahuila　plates　on　it　and　i　thought；　well；　i　need　　to　stop　these　old　boys　and　take　a　look。　so　i　hit　the　lights　and　whenever　i　done　that　i　seen　　the　slider　window　in　the　back　of　the　cab　open　and　here　e　somebody　passin　a　　shotgun　out　the　window　to　the　old　boy　settin　in　the　bed　of　the　truck。　ill　tell　you　right　　now　i　hit　them　brakes　with　both　feet。　it　skidded　the　unit　sideways　to　where　the　lights　was　　goin　out　into　the　brush　but　the　last　thing　i　seen　in　the　bed　of　the　truck　was　the　old　boy　　puttin　that　shotgun　to　his　shoulder。　i　hit　the　seat　and　i　just　had　hit　it　when　here　e　the　　windshield　all　over　me　in　them　little　bitty　pieces　they　break　up　into。　i　still　had　one　foot　　on　the　brake　and　i　could　feel　the　cruiser　slidin　down　into　the　bar　ditch　and　i　thought　it　　was　goin　to　roll　but　it　didnt。　it　filled　the　car　just　full　of　dirt。　the　old　boy　he　opened　up　　on　me　twice　more　and　shot　all　the　glass　out　of　one　side　of　the　cruiser　and　by　then　id　　e　to　a　stop　and　i　laid　there　in　the　seat；　had　my　pistol　out；　and　i　heard　that　pickup　　leave　out　and　i　raised　up　and　fired　several　shots　at　the　taillights　but　they　was　long　gone。

point　bein　you　dont　know　what　all　youre　stoppin　when　you　do　stop　somebody。　you　take　　out　on　the　highway。　you　walk　up　to　a　car　and　you　dont　know　what　youre　liable　to　find。　i　　set　there　in　that　cruiser　for　a　long　time。　the　motor　had　died　but　the　lights　was　still　on。

cab　full　of　glass　and　dirt。　i　got　out　and　kindly　shook　myself　off　and　got　back　in　and　just　　set　there。　just　kindly　collectin　my　thoughts。　windshield　wipers　hangin　in　on　the　　dashboard。　i　turned　off　the　lights　and　i　just　set　there。　you　take　somebody　that　will　　actually　throw　down　on　a　law　enforcement　officer　and　open　fire；　you　have　got　some　　very　serious　people。　i　never　saw　that　truck　again。　nobody　else　did　neither。　or　not　them　　plates　noways。　maybe　i　should　of　took　out　after　it。　or　tried　to。　i　dont　know。　i　drove　back　　to　sanderson　and　pulled　in　at　the　cafe　and　ill　tell　you　they　e　from　all　over　to　see　　that　cruiser。　it　was　shot　just　full　of　holes。　looked　like　the　bonnie　and　clyde　car。　i　didnt　　have　a　mark　on　me。　not　even　from　all　that　glass。　i　was　criticized　for　that　too。　parkin　　there　like　i　done。　they　said　i　was　showin　out。　well；　maybe　i　was。　but　i　needed　that　cup　　of　coffee　too；　ill　tell　you。

i　read　the　papers　ever　mornin。　mostly　i　suppose　just　to　try　and　figure　out　what　might　be　　headed　this　way。　not　that　ive　done　all　that　good　a　job　at　headin　it　off。　it　keeps　gettin　　harder。　here　a　while　back　they　was　two　boys　run　into　one　another　and　one　of　em　was　　from　california　and　one　from　florida。　and　they　met　somewheres　or　other　in　between。

and　then　they　set　out　together　travelin　around　the　country　killin　people。　i　forget　how　　many　they　did　kill。　now　what　are　the　chances　of　a　thing　like　that！　them　two　had　never　　laid　eyes　on　one　another。　there　cant　be　that　many　of　em。　i　dont　think。　well；　we　dont　　know。　here　the　other　day　they　was　a　woman　put　her　baby　in　a　trash　pactor。　who　　would　think　of　such　a　thing？　my　wife　wont　read　the　papers　no　more。　shes　probably　　right。　she　generally　is。

bell　climbed　the　rear　steps　of　the　courthouse　and　went　down　the　hall　to　his　　office。　he　swiveled　his　chair　around　and　sat　and　looked　at　the　telephone。　go　ahead；　he　　said。　im　here。

the　phone　rang。　he　reached　and　picked　it　up。　sheriff　bell；　he　said。

he　listened。　he　nodded。

mrs　downie　i　believe　hell　e　down　directly。　why　dont　you　call　me　back　here　in　a　　little　bit。　yes　mam。

he　took　off　his　hat　and　put　it　on　the　desk　and　sat　with　his　eyes　closed；　pinching　the　　bridge　of　his　nose。　yes　mam；　he　said。　yes　mam。

mrs　downie　i　havent　seen　that　many　dead　cats　in　trees。　i　think　hell　e　down　directly　　if　youll　just　leave　him　be。　you　call　me　back　in　a　little　bit；　you　hear？

he　hung　the　phone　up　and　sat　looking　at　it。　its　money；　he　said。　you　have　enough　　money　you　dont　have　to　talk　to　people　about　cats　in　trees。

well。　maybe　you　do。

the　radio　squawked。　he　picked　up　the　receiver　and　pushed　the　button　and　put　his　feet　　up　on　the　desk。　bell；　he　said。

he　sat　listening。　he　lowered　his　feet　to　the　floor　and　sat　up。

get　the　keys　and　look　in　the　turtle。　thats　all　right。　im　right　here。

he　drummed　his　fingers　on　the　desk。

all　right。　keep　your　lights　on。　ill　be　there　in　fifty　minutes。　and　torbert？　shut　the　trunk。

he　and　wendell　pulled　onto　the　paved　shoulder　in　front　of　the　unit　and　parked　and　got　　out。　torbert　got　out　and　was　standing　by　the　door　of　his　car。　the　sheriff　nodded。　he　　walked　along　the　edge　of　the　roadway　studying　the　tire　tracks。　you　seen　this；　i　reckon；　　he　said。

yessir。

well　lets　take　a　look。

torbert　opened　the　trunk　and　they　stood　looking　at　the　body。　the　front　of　the　mans　shirt　　was　covered　with　blood；　partly　dried。　his　whole　face　was　bloody。　bell　leaned　and　　reached　into　the　trunk　and　took　something　from　the　mans　shirtpocket　and　unfolded　it。　it　　was　a　bloodstained　receipt　for　gas　from　a　service　station　in　junction　texas。　well；　he　　said。　this　was　the　end　of　the　road　for　bill　wyrick。

i　didnt　look　to　see　if　he　had　a　billfold　on　him。

thats　all　right。　he　dont。　this　here　was　just　dumb　luck。

he　studied　the　hole　in　the　mans　forehead。　looks　like　a　。45。　clean。　almost　like　a　　wadcutter。

whats　a　wadcutter？

its　a　target　round。　you　got　the　keys？

yessir。

bell　shut　the　trunklid。　he　looked　around。　passing　trucks　on　the　interstate　were　　downshifting　as　they　approached。　ive　already　talked　to　lamar。　told　him　he　can　have　　his　unit　back　in　about　three　days。　i　called　austin　and　theyre　lookin　for　you　first　thing　in　　the　mornin。　i　aint　loadin　him　into　one　of　our　units　and　he　damn　sure　dont　need　a　　helicopter。　you　take　lamars　unit　back　to　sonora　when　you　get　done　and　call　and　me　or　　wendell　one　will　e　and　get　you。　you　got　any　money？

yessir。

fill　out　the　report　same　as　any　report。

yessir。

white　male；　late　thirties；　medium　build。

how　do　you　spell　wyrick？

you　dont　spell　it。　we　dont　know　what　his　name　is。

yessir。

he　might　have　a　family　someplace。

yessir。　sheriff？

yes。

what　do　we　have　on　the　perpetrator？

we　dont。　give　wendell　your　keys　fore　you　forget　it。

theyre　in　the　unit。

well　lets　not　be　leavin　keys　in　the　units。

yessir。

ill　see　you　in　two　days　time。

yessir。

i　hope　that　son　of　a　bitch　is　in　california。

yessir。　i　know　what　you　mean。

i　got　a　feelin　he　aint。

yessir。　i　do　too。

wendell；　you　ready？

wendell　leaned　and　spat。　yessir；　he　said。　im　ready。　he　looked　at　torbert。　you　get　　stopped　with　that　ol