《No Country for Old Men》第20章

nto　the　bed。
he　took　the　screwdriver　and　got　the　chair　from　the　desk　and　stood　on　it　and　unscrewed the　airduct　grille　and　stepped　down　and　laid　it　dustside　up　on　the　cheap　chenille bedspread。　then　he　climbed　up　and　put　his　ear　to　the　duct。　he　listened。　he　stood　down and　got　the　flashlight　and　climbed　back　up　again。
there　was　a　junction　in　the　ductwork　about　ten　feet　down　the　shaft　and　he　could　see　the end　of　the　bag　sticking　out。　he　turned　off　the　light　and　stood　listening。　he　tried　listening with　his　eyes　shut。
he　climbed　down　and　got　the　shotgun　and　went　to　the　door　and　turned　off　the　light　at the　switch　there　and　stood　in　the　dark　looking　out　through　the　curtain　at　the　courtyard。
then　he　went　back　and　laid　the　shotgun　on　the　bed　and　turned　on　the　flashlight。
he　untied　the　little　nylon　bag　and　slid　the　poles　out。　they　were　lightweight　aluminum tubes　three　feet　long　and　he　assembled　three　of　them　and　taped　the　joints　with　duct　tape so　that　they　wouldnt　pull　apart。　he　went　to　the　closet　and　came　back　with　three　wire hangers　and　sat　on　the　bed　and　cut　the　hooks　off　with　the　sidecutters　and　wrapped　them into　one　hook　with　the　tape。　then　he　taped　them　to　the　end　of　the　pole　and　stood　up　and slid　the　pole　down　the　ductwork。
he　turned　the　flashlight　off　and　pitched　it　onto　the　bed　and　went　back　to　the　window and　looked　out。　drone　of　a　truck　passing　out　on　the　highway。　he　waited　till　it　was　gone。
a　cat　that　was　crossing　the　courtyard　stopped。　then　it　went　on　again。
he　stood　on　the　chair　with　the　flashlight　in　his　hand。　he　turned　on　the　light　and　laid　the lens　up　close　against　the　galvanized　metal　wall　of　the　duct　so　as　to　mute　the　beam　and ran　the　hook　down　past　the　bag　and　turned　it　and　brought　it　back。　the　hook　caught　and turned　the　bag　slightly　and　then　slipped　free　again。　after　a　few　tries　he　managed　to　get　it caught　in　one　of　the　straps　and　he　towed　it　silently　up　the　duct　hand　over　hand　through the　dust　until　he　could　let　go　the　pole　and　reach　the　bag。
he　climbed　down　and　sat　on　the　bed　and　wiped　the　dust　from　the　case　and　unfastened the　latch　and　the　straps　and　opened　it　and　looked　at　the　packets　of　bills。　he　took　one　of them　from　the　case　and　riffled　it。　then　he　fitted　it　back　and　undid　the　length　of　cord　hed tied　to　the　strap　and　turned　off　the　flashlight　and　sat　listening。　he　stood　and　reached　up and　shoved　the　poles　down　the　duct　and　then　he　put　back　the　grid　and　gathered　up　his tools。　he　laid　the　key　on　the　desk　and　put　the　shotgun　and　the　tools　in　the　bag　and　took it　and　the　case　and　walked　out　the　door　leaving　everything　just　as　it　was。
chigurh　drove　slowly　along　the　row　of　motel　rooms　with　the　window　down　and　the receiver　in　his　lap。　he　turned　at　the　end　of　the　lot　and　came　back。　he　slowed　to　a　stop and　put　the　ramcharger　in　reverse　and　backed　slightly　down　the　blacktop　and　stopped again。　finally　he　drove　around　to　the　office　and　parked　and　went　in。
the　clock　on　the　motel　office　wall　said　twelve　forty…two。　the　television　set　was　on　and the　woman　looked　like　shed　been　asleep。　yessir；　she　said。　can　i　help　you？
he　left　the　office　with　the　key　in　his　shirtpocket　and　got　into　the　ramcharger　and　drove around　to　the　side　of　the　building　and　parked　and　got　out　and　walked　down　to　the　room carrying　the　bag　with　the　receiver　and　the　guns　in　it。　in　the　room　he　dropped　the　bag onto　the　bed　and　pulled　off　his　boots　and　came　back　out　with　the　receiver　and　the battery　pack　and　the　shotgun　from　the　truck。　the　shotgun　was　a　twelve　gauge remington　automatic　with　a　plastic　military　stock　and　a　parkerized　finish。　it　was　fitted with　a　shopmade　silencer　fully　a　foot　long　and　big　around　as　a　beercan。　he　walked down　the　ramada　in　his　sockfeet　past　the　rooms　listening　to　the　signal。
he　came　back　to　the　room　and　stood　in　the　open　door　under　the　dead　white　light　from the　parking　lot　lamp。　he　walked　into　the　bathroom　and　turned　the　light　on　there。　he took　the　measure　of　the　room　and　looked　to　see　where　everything　was。　he　measured where　the　lightswitches　were。　then　he　stood　in　the　room　taking　it　all　in　once　again。　he sat　and　pulled　on　his　boots　and　got　the　airtank　and　slung　it　across　his　shoulder　and caught　up　the　cattlegun　where　it　swung　from　the　rubber　airhose　and　walked　out　and down　to　the　room。
he　stood　listening　at　the　door。　then　he　punched　out　the　lock　cylinder　with　the　airgun and　kicked　open　the　door。
a　mexican　in　a　green　guayabera　had　sat　up　on　the　bed　and　was　reaching　for　a　small machinegun　beside　him。　chigurh　shot　him　three　times　so　fast　it　sounded　like　one　long gunshot　and　left　most　of　the　upper　part　of　him　spread　across　the　headboard　and　the　wall behind　it。　the　shotgun　made　a　strange　deep　chugging　sound。　like　someone　coughing into　a　barrel。　he　snapped　on　the　light　and　stepped　out　of　the　doorway　and　stood　with　his back　to　the　outside　wall。　he　looked　in　again　quickly。　the　bathroom　door　had　been　shut。
now　it　was　open。　he　stepped　into　the　room　and　fired　two　loads　through　the　standing door　and　another　through　the　wall　and　stepped　out　again。　down　toward　the　end　of　the building　a　light　had　e　on。　chigurh　waited。　then　he　looked　into　the　room　once　more。
the　door　was　blown　into　shredded　plywood　hanging　off　the　hinges　and　a　thin　stream　of blood　had　started　across　the　pink　bathroom　tiles。
he　stepped　into　the　doorway　and　fired　two　more　rounds　through　the　bathroom　wall　and then　walked　in　with　the　shotgun　leveled　at　his　waist。　the　man　was　lying　slumped against　the　tub　holding　an　ak…47。　he　was　shot　in　the　chest　and　the　neck　and　he　was bleeding　heavily。　no　me　mate；　he　wheezed。　no　me　mate。　chigurh　stepped　back　to　avoid the　spray　of　ceramic　chips　off　the　tub　and　shot　him　in　the　face。
he　walked　out　and　stood　on　the　sidewalk。　no　one　there。　he　went　back　in　and　searched the　room。　he　looked　in　the　closet　and　he　looked　under　the　bed　and　he　pulled　all　the drawers　out　into　the　floor。　he　looked　in　the　bathroom。　mosss　h&k　machinepistol　was lying　on　the　sink。　he　left　it　there。　he　wiped　his　feet　back　and　forth　on　the　carpet　to　get the　blood　off　the　soles　of　his　boots　and　he　stood　looking　at　the　room。　then　his　eye　fell on　the　airduct。
he　took　the　lamp