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prefer not to be addressed as some sort of bearer of bad news here。 there is two point three mil in that case。 im sorry i couldnt recover it all； but there you are。
the man hadnt moved。 after a while he said： who the hell are you？
my name is anton chigurh。
i know that。
then why did you ask？
what do you want。 i guess thats my question。
well。 id say that the purpose of my visit is simply to establish my bonafides。 as someone who is an expert in a difficult field。 as someone who is pletely reliable and pletely honest。 something like that。
someone i might do business with。
yes。
youre serious。
pletely。
chigurh watched him。 he watched the dilation in his eyes and the pulse in the artery of his neck。 the rate of his breathing。 when hed first put his hands on the desk behind him he had looked somewhat relaxed。 he was still standing in the identical attitude but he didnt look that way anymore。
theres not a bomb in that damn bag is there？
no。 no bombs。
chigurh undid the straps and unlatched the brass hasp and opened the leather flap and tipped the case forward。
yes； the man said。 put that away。
chigurh closed the bag。 the man stood up from his leaning against the desk。 he wiped his mouth with his foreknuckle。
i think what you need to consider； chigurh said； is how you lost this money in the first place。 who you listened to and what happened when you did。
yes。 we cant talk here。
i understand。 in any case i dont expect you to absorb all of this at one sitting。 ill call you in two days time。
all right。
chigurh rose from the couch。 the man nodded toward the case。 you could do a lot of business on your own with that； he said。
chigurh smiled。 we have a lot to talk about； he said。 well be dealing with new people now。 there wont be any more problems。
what happened to the old people？
theyve moved on to other things。 not everyone is suited to this line of work。 the prospect of outsized profits leads people to exaggerate their own capabilities。 in their minds。 they pretend to themselves that they are in control of events where perhaps they are not。 and it is always ones stance upon uncertain ground that invites the attentions of ones enemies。 or discourages it。
and you？ what about your enemies？
i have no enemies。 i dont permit such a thing。
he looked around the room。 nice office； he said。 low key。 he nodded to a painting on the wall。 is that original？
the man looked at the painting。 no； he said。 its not。 but i own the original。 i keep it in a vault。
excellent； said chigurh。
the funeral was on a cold and windy day in march。 she stood beside her grandmothers sister。 the sisters husband sat in front of her in a wheelchair with his chin resting in his hand。 the dead woman had more friends than she would have reckoned。 she was surprised。 theyd e with their faces veiled in black。 she put her hand on her uncles shoulder and he reached up across his chest and patted it。 she had thought maybe he was asleep。 the whole while that the wind blew and the preacher talked she had the feeling that someone was watching her。 twice she even looked around。
it was dark when she got home。 she went into the kitchen and put the kettle on and sat at the kitchen table。 she hadnt felt like crying。 now she did。 she lowered her face into her folded arms。 oh mama； she said。
when she went upstairs and turned on the light in her bedroom chigurh was sitting at the little desk waiting for her。
she stood in the doorway； her hand falling slowly away from the wallswitch。 he moved not at all。 she stood there； holding her hat。 finally she said： i knowed this wasnt done with。
smart girl。
i aint got it。
got what？
i need to set down。
chigurh nodded toward the bed。 she sat and put her hat on the bed beside her and then picked it up again and held it to her。
too late； chigurh said。
i know。
what is it that you havent got？
i think you know what im talkin about。
how much do you have。
i dont have none of it。 i had about seven thousand dollars all told and i can tell you its been long gone and theys bills aplenty left to pay yet。 i buried my mother today。 i aint paid for that neither。
i wouldnt worry about it。
she looked at the bedside table。
its not there； he said。
she sat slumped forward； holding her hat in her arms。 youve got no cause to hurt me； she said。
i know。 but i gave my word。
your word？
yes。 were at the mercy of the dead here。 in this case your husband。
that dont make no sense。
im afraid it does。
i dont have the money。 you know i aint got it。
i know。
you give your word to my husband to kill me？
yes。
hes dead。 my husband is dead。
yes。 but im not。
you dont owe nothin to dead people。
chigurh cocked his head slightly。 no？ he said。
how can you？
how can you not？
theyre dead。
yes。 but my word is not dead。 nothing can change that。
you can change it。
i dont think so。 even a nonbeliever might find it useful to model himself after god。
very useful； in fact。
youre just a blasphemer。
hard words。 but whats done cannot be undone。 i think you understand that。 your husband； you may be distressed to learn； had the opportunity to remove you from harms way and he chose not to do so。 he was given that option and his answer was no。
otherwise i would not be here now。
you aim to kill me。
im sorry。
she put the hat down on the bed and turned and looked out the window。 the new green of the trees in the light of the vaporlamp in the yard bending and righting again in the evening wind。 i dont know what i ever done； she said。 i truly dont。
chigurh nodded。 probably you do； he said。 theres a reason for everything。
she shook her head。 how many times ive said them very words。 i wont again。
youve suffered a loss of faith。
ive suffered a loss of everthing i ever had。 my husband wanted to kill me？
yes。 is there anything that youd like to say？
to who？
im the only one here。
i dont have nothin to say to you。
youll be all right。 try not to worry about it。
what？
i see your look； he said。 it doesnt make any difference what sort of person i am； you know。 you shouldnt be more frightened to die because you think im a bad person。
i knowed you was crazy when i seen you settin there； she said。 i knowed exactly what was in store for me。 even if i couldnt of said it。
chigurh smiled。 its a hard thing to understand； he said。 i see people struggle with it。
the look they get。 they always say the same thing。
what do they say。
they say： you dont have to do this。
you dont。
its not any help though； is it？
no。
so why do you say it？
i aint never said it before。
any of you。
theres just me； she said。 there aint nobody else。
yes。 of course。
she looked at the gun。 she turned away。 she sat with her head down； her shoulders shaking。 oh mama； she said。
none of this was your fault。
she shook her head； sobbing。
you didnt do anything。 it was bad luck。
she nodded。
he watched her； his chin in his hand。 all right； he said。 this is the best i can do。
he straightened out his leg and reached into his pocket and drew