In ten minutes we were on our way. At six o'clock we drew up in front of a small hotel in Sonale.
We engaged a room in which to breakfast, and wait until the morning was more advanced. I doubt if I had exchanged more than three remarks with my companion; now, however, I said:
"I want you to go and find out just where the office of the paper is, and any other information you care to gather, such as the name of the editor, and what time he generally arrives, then return here."
I sat down by the open window to await his return, and my thoughts were pretty busy. I recalled the drive through the night, hour after hour; the great headlight of the motor, shining first on one thing then on another, the straying cows which had so nearly caused a mishap, the luck of finding an intelligent peasant when we lost our way; he was well rewarded for being hauled out in the middle of the night, and I daresay wished that more people would lose their way. The amazement of the frontier guard at the mad English motorist, the puncture which caused delay, and finally the hotel where I now sat and waited. Then my thoughts switched on to Sonale; it seemed so strange that I should be here in the Bornian capital, in the same place where Irma lived. I wished that I had asked Landsberg to find out the way to the Palace, and the next moment was pleased that I hadn't. I wondered whether it would be possible to obtain audience with the Princess without allowing my identity to become known. I might do it through Sonia, I had no doubt that she could get the Princess to her rooms under some pretext, that is, if Irma did not wish to see me in her own, for of course I did not want to hide my identity from her, only from strangers. Then I became impatient with waiting, and walked up and down the room, glancing every few minutes at my watch. Half-past nine, ten, and still he had not returned. I sincerely hoped that nothing had happened to Landsberg. At about a quarter-past be came in, with a strange expression on his face.
"Well, I have been all impatience for your arrival."
"I have found out what your Majesty wishes to know, and more."
"More?"
"Yes, your Majesty, the man who wrote the article will not be at work for some time."
"What, isn't he in Sonale?"
"He is, your Majesty, but we are too late, some one has already done what we came to do."