《No Country for Old Men》第21章

his　boots　and　he　stood　looking　at　the　room。　then　his　eye　fell on　the　airduct。
he　took　the　lamp　from　beside　the　bed　and　jerked　the　cord　free　and　climbed　up　onto　the dresser　and　stove　in　the　grate　with　the　metal　lampbase　and　pulled　it　loose　and　looked　in。
he　could　see　the　dragmarks　in　the　dust。　he　climbed　down　and　stood　there。　hed　got blood　and　matter　on　his　shirt　from　off　the　wall　and　he　took　the　shirt　off　and　went　back into　the　bathroom　and　washed　himself　and　dried　with　one　of　the　bath…towels。　then　he wet　the　towel　and　wiped　off　his　boots　and　folded　the　towel　again　and　wiped　down　the legs　of　his　jeans。　he　picked　up　the　shotgun　and　came　back　into　the　room　naked　to　the waist；　the　shirt　balled　in　one　hand。　he　wiped　his　bootsoles　on　the　carpet　again　and looked　around　the　room　a　last　time　and　left。
when　bell　walked　into　the　office　torbert　looked　up　from　his　desk　and　then　rose　and came　over　and　laid　a　paper　down　in　front　of　him。
is　this　it？　bell　said。
yessir。
bell　leaned　back　in　his　chair　to　read；　tapping　his　lower　lip　slowly　with　his　forefinger。
after　a　while　he　put　the　report　down。　he　didnt　look　at　torbert。　i　know　whats　happened here；　he　said。
all　right。
have　you　ever　been　to　a　slaughterhouse？
yessir。　i　believe　so。
youd　know　it　if　you　had。
i　think　i　went　once　when　i　was　a　kid。
funny　place　to　take　a　kid。
i　think　i　went　my　own　self。　snuck　in。
how　did　they　kill　the　beef？
they　had　a　knocker　straddled　the　chute　and　theyd　let　the　beeves　through　one　at　a　time and　hed　knock　em　in　the　head　with　a　maul。　he　done　that　all　day。
that　sounds　about　right。　they　dont　do　it　thataway　no　more。　they　use　a　airpowered　gun that　shoots　a　steel　bolt　out　of　it。　just　shoots　it　out　about　so　far。　they　put　that　thing between　the　beefs　eyes　and　pull　the　trigger　and　down　she　goes。　its　that　quick。
torbert　was　standing　at　the　corner　of　bells　desk。　he　waited　a　minute　for　the　sheriff　to continue　but　the　sheriff　didnt　continue。　torbert　stood　there。　then　he　looked　away。　i wish　you　hadnt　of　even　told　me；　he　said。
i　know；　said　bell。　i　knowed　what　youd　say　fore　you　said　it。
moss　pulled　into　eagle　pass　at　a　quarter　till　two　in　the　morning。　hed　slept　a　good　part of　the　way　in　the　back　of　the　cab　and　he　only　woke　when　they　slowed　ing　off　the highway　and　down　main　street。　he　watched　the　pale　white　globes　of　the　streetlamps pass　along　the　upper　rim　of　the　window。　then　he　sat　up。
you　goin　across　the　river？　the　driver　said。
no。　just　take　me　downtown。
you　are　downtown。
moss　leaned　forward　with　his　elbows　on　the　back　of　the　seat。
whats　that　right　there。
thats　the　maverick　county　courthouse。
no。　right　there　where　the　sign　is。
thats　the　hotel　eagle。
drop　me　there。
he　paid　the　driver　the　fifty　dollars　theyd　agreed　on　and　picked　up　his　bags　off　the　curb and　walked　up　the　steps　to　the　porch　and　went　in。　the　clerk　was　standing　at　the　desk　as if　hed　been　expecting　him。
he　paid　and　put　the　key　in　his　pocket　and　climbed　the　stairs　and　walked　down　the　old hotel　corridor。　dead　quiet。　no　lights　in　the　transoms。　he　found　the　room　and　put　the　key in　the　door　and　opened　it　and　went　in　and　shut　the　door　behind　him。　light　from　the streetlamps　ing　through　the　lace　curtains　at　the　window。　he　set　the　bags　on　the　bed and　went　back　to　the　door　and　switched　on　the　overhead　light。　old　fashioned　pushbutton switchplate。　oak　furniture　from　the　turn　of　the　century。　brown　walls。　same　chenille bedspread。
he　sat　on　the　bed　thinking　things　over。　he　got　up　and　looked　out　the　window　at　the parking　lot　and　he　went　into　the　bathroom　and　got　a　glass　of　water　and　came　back　and sat　on　the　bed　again。　he　took　a　sip　and　set　the　water　on　the　glass　top　of　the　wooden bedside　table。　there　is　no　goddamn　way；　he　said。
he　undid　the　brass　latch　and　the　buckles　on　the　case　and　began　to　take　the　packets　of money　out　and　to　stack　them　on　the　bed。　when　the　case　was　empty　he　checked　it　for　a false　bottom　and　he　checked　the　back　and　sides　and　then　he　set　it　aside　and　began　to　go through　the　stacks　of　bills；　riffling　each　of　the　packets　and　stacking　them　back　in　the case。　hed　packed　it　about　a　third　full　before　he　found　the　sending　unit。
the　middle　of　the　packet　had　been　filled　in　with　dollar　bills　with　the　centers　cut　out　and the　transponder　unit　nested　there　was　about　the　size　of　a　zippo　lighter。　he　slid　back　the tape　and　took　it　out　and　weighed　it　in　his　hand。　then　he　put　it　in　the　drawer　and　got　up and　took　the　cut…out　dollar　bills　and　the　banktape　to　the　bathroom　and　flushed　them down　the　toilet　and　came　back。　he　folded　the　loose　hundreds　and　put　them　in　his　pocket and　then　packed　the　rest　of　the　banknotes　into　the　case　again　and　set　the　case　in　the　chair and　sat　there　looking　at　it。　he　thought　about　a　lot　of　things　but　the　thing　that　stayed　with him　was　that　at　some　point　he　was　going　to　have　to　quit　running　on　luck。
he　got　the　shotgun　out　of　the　bag　and　laid　it　on　the　bed　and　turned　on　the　bedside　lamp。
he　went　to　the　door　and　turned　off　the　overhead　light　and　came　back　and　stretched　out on　the　bed　and　stared　at　the　ceiling。　he　knew　what　was　ing。　he　just　didnt　know when。　he　got　up　and　went　into　the　bathroom　and　pulled　the　chain　on　the　light　over　the sink　and　looked　at　himself　in　the　mirror。　he　took　a　washcloth　from　the　glass　towelbar and　turned　on　the　hot　water　and　wet　the　cloth　and　wrung　it　out　and　wiped　his　face　and the　back　of　his　neck。　he　took　a　leak　and　then　switched　off　the　light　and　went　back　and sat　on　the　bed。　it　had　already　occurred　to　him　that　he　would　probably　never　be　safe again　in　his　life　and　he　wondered　if　that　was　something　that　you　got　used　to。　and　if　you did？
he　emptied　out　the　bag　and　put　the　shotgun　in　and　zipped　it　shut　and　took　it　together with　the　satchel　down　to　the　desk。　the　mexican　whod　checked　him　in　was　gone　and　in his　place　was　another　clerk；　thin　and　gray。　a　thin　white　shirt　and　a　black　bow　tie。　he was　smoking　a　cigarette　and　reading　ring　magazine　and　he　looked　up　at　moss　with　no great　enthusiasm；　squinting　in　the　smoke。　yessir；　he　said。
did　you　just　e　on？
yessir。　be　here　till　ten　in　the　mornin。
moss　laid　a　hundred　dollar　bill　on