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s deputy outside of sonora texas and i let him take me into town in handcuffs。 im not sure why i did this but i think i wanted to see if i could extricate myself by an act of will。 because i believe that one can。 that such a thing is possible。 but it was a foolish thing to do。 a vain thing to do。 do you understand？
do i understand？
yes。
do you have any notion of how goddamned crazy you are？
the nature of this conversation？
the nature of you。
chigurh leaned back。 he studied wells。 tell me something； he said。
what。
if the rule you followed led you to this of what use was the rule？
i dont know what youre talking about。
im talking about your life。 in which now everything can be seen at once。
im not interested in your bullshit； anton。
i thought you might want to explain yourself。
i dont have to explain myself to you。
not to me。 to yourself。 i thought you might have something to say。
you go to hell。
you surprise me； thats all。 i expected something different。 it calls past events into question。 dont you think so？
you think id trade places with you？
yes。 i do。 im here and you are there。 in a few minutes i will still be here。
wells looked out the darkened window。 i know where the satchel is； he said。
if you knew where the satchel was you would have it。
i was going to have to wait until there was no one around。 till night。 two in the morning。 something like that。
you know where the satchel is。
yes。
i know something better。
whats that。
i know where its going to be。
and where is that。
it will be brought to me and placed at my feet。
wells wiped his mouth with the back of his hand。 it wouldnt cost you anything。 its twenty minutes from here。
you know thats not going to happen。 dont you？
wells didnt answer。
dont you？
you go to hell。
you think you can put it off with your eyes。
what do you mean？
you think that as long as you keep looking at me you can put it off。
i dont think that。
yes you do。 you should admit your situation。 there would be more dignity in it。 im trying to help you。
you son of a bitch。
you think you wont close your eyes。 but you will。
wells didnt answer。 chigurh watched him。 i know what else you think； he said。
you dont know what i think。
you think im like you。 that its just greed。 but im not like you。 i live a simple life。
just do it。
you wouldnt understand。 a man like you。
just do it。
yes； chigurh said。 they always say that。 but they dont mean it； do they？
you piece of shit。
its not good； carson。 you need to pose yourself。 if you dont respect me what must you think of yourself？ look at where you are。
you think youre outside of everything； wells said。 but youre not。
not everything。 no。
youre not outside of death。
it doesnt mean to me what it does to you。
you think im afraid to die？
yes。
just do it。 do it and goddamn you。
its not the same； chigurh said。 youve been giving up things for years to get here。 i dont think i even understood that。 how does a man decide in what order to abandon his life？ were in the same line of work。 up to a point。 did you hold me in such contempt？
why would you do that？ how did you let yourself get in this situation？
wells looked out at the street。 what time is it？ he said。
chigurh raised his wrist and looked at his watch。 eleven fifty…seven he said。
wells nodded。 by the old womans calendar ive got three more minutes。 well the hell with it。 i think i saw all this ing a long time ago。 almost like a dream。 déjà vu。 he looked at chigurh。 im not interested in your opinions； he said。 just do it。 you goddamned psychopath。 do it and goddamn you to hell。
he did close his eyes。 he closed his eyes and he turned his head and he raised one hand to fend away what could not be fended away。 chigurh shot him in the face。 everything that wells had ever known or thought or loved drained slowly down the wall behind him。 his mothers face； his first munion； women he had known。 the faces of men as they died on their knees before him。 the body of a child dead in a roadside ravine in another country。 he lay half headless on the bed with his arms outflung； most of his right hand missing。 chigurh rose and picked up the empty casing off the rug and blew into it and put it in his pocket and looked at his watch。 the new day was still a minute away。
he went down the back stairs and crossed the parking lot to wells car and sorted out the doorkey from the ring of keys wells carried and opened the door and checked the car inside front and rear and under the seats。 it was a rental car and there was nothing in it but the rental contract in the doorpocket。 he shut the door and hobbled back and opened the trunk。 nothing。 he went around to the driver side and opened the door and popped the hood and walked up front and raised the hood and looked in the engine partment and then closed the hood and stood looking at the hotel。 while he was standing there wells phone rang。 he fished the phone from his pocket and pushed the button and put it to his ear。 yes； he said。
moss made his way down the ward and back again holding on to the nurses arm。 she said encouraging things to him in spanish。 they turned at the end of the bay and started back。 the sweat stood on his forehead。 andale； she said。 qué bueno。 he nodded。 damn right bueno； he said。
late in the night he woke from a troubling dream and struggled down the hallway and asked to use the telephone。 he dialed the number in odessa and leaned heavily on the counter and listened to it ring。 it rang a long time。 finally her mother answered。
its llewelyn。
she dont want to talk to you。
yes she does。
do you know what time it is？
i dont care what time it is。 dont you hang up this phone。
i told her what was goin to happen； didnt i？ chapter and verse。 i said： this is what will e to pass。 and now it has e to pass。
dont you hang up this phone。 you get her and you put her on。
when she picked up the phone she said： i didnt think youd do me thisaway。
hello darlin； how are you？ are you all right； llewelyn？ what happened to them words？
where are you。
piedras negras。
what am i supposed to do； llewelyn？
are you all right？
no im not all right。 how would i be all right？ people callin here about you。 i had the sheriff up here from terrell county。 showed up at the damn door。 i thought you was dead。
i aint dead。 what did you tell him？
what could i tell him？
he might con you into sayin somethin。
youre hurt； aint you？
what makes you say that？
i can hear it in your voice。 are you okay？
im okay。
where are you？
i told you where i was。
you sound like youre in a bus station。
carla jean i think you need to get out of there。
out of where？
out of that house。
youre scarin me； llewelyn。 out of here to go where？
it dont matter。 i just dont think you should stay there。 you could go to a motel。
and do what with mama？
shell be all right。
shell be all right？
yes。
you dont know that。
llewelyn didnt answer。
do you？
i just dont think anybody will bother her。
you dont think？
you need to get out。 j