“One of the latest ideas concerning the Pyramids is, as you know, that they were built as towers of defence against the Deluge.  That is correct.  The wise men of the old days foretold the time when ‘the waters should rise and cover the earth,’ and these huge monuments were prepared and raised to a height which it was estimated would always appear above the level of the coming flood, to show where the treasures of Egypt were hidden for safety.  Yes,- -the treasures of Egypt, the wisdom, the science of Egypt!  They are all down there still!  And there, to all intents and purposes, they are likely to remain.”

“But archaeologists are of the opinion that the Pyramids have been thoroughly explored,” began Dr. Dean, with some excitement.

The Princess interrupted him by a slight gesture.

“Archaeologists, my dear Doctor, are like the rest of this world’s so-called ‘learned’ men; they work in one groove, and are generally content with it.  Sometimes an unusually brilliant brain conceives the erratic notion of working in several grooves, and is straightway judged as mad or fanatic.  It is when these comet-like intelligences sweep across the world’s horizon that we hear of a Julius Caesar, a Napoleon, a Shakespeare.  But archaeologists are the narrowest and dryest of men,—­they preconceive a certain system of work and follow it out by mathematical rule and plan, without one touch of imagination to help them to discover new channels of interest or historical information.  As I told you before I began to speak, you are welcome to entirely disbelieve my story of the Great Pyramid,—­but as I have begun it, you may as well hear it through.”  She paused a moment, then went on:  “According to my information, the building of the Pyramids was commenced three hundred years before the Deluge, in the time of Saurid, the son of Sabaloc, who, it is said, was the first to receive a warning dream of the coming flood.  Saurid, being convinced by his priests, astrologers and soothsayers that the portent was a true one, became from that time possessed of one idea, which was that the vast learning of Egypt, its sciences, discoveries and strange traditions should not be lost,—­and that the exploits and achievements of those who were great and famous in the land should be so recorded as never to be forgotten.  In those days, here where you see these measureless tracts of sand, there were great mountainous rocks and granite quarries, and Saurid utilized these for the hollowing out of deep caverns in which to conceal treasure.  When these caverns were prepared to his liking, he caused a floor to be made, portions of which were rendered movable by means of secret springs, and then leaving a hollow space of some four feet in height, he started foundations for another floor above it.  This upper floor is what you nowadays see when you enter the Pyramid,—­and no one imagines that under it is an open space with room to walk in, and yet another floor below, where everything of value is secreted.”