"Where did you hear all this, Mr. Montrose?" asked the Squire quickly.
"From Dr. Eberstein. You can ask him for yourself when he comes down."
"I should like to meet him," said Mr. Sparrow primly, "but I do not think that I shall agree with a single word he says."
"Then why ask him?" asked Montrose, very naturally.
"To confute him, sir. What we know of the early world is all contained in Genesis. There is no mention of Atlantis there, although there is of Egypt."
"What about the chronology of the Bible? It has been proved, Mr. Sparrow—and you as an archæologist must admit this—that the civilisation of Egypt extends further back than the date given in Genesis as the beginning of the world. What do you say to that?"
"I could say a great deal," retorted the parson, whose archæological knowledge was always struggling with his religious beliefs; "but this is not the time or the place to say more. When Dr. Eberstein, who is your authority for these startling statements, arrives I shall be happy to thresh the matter out with him. It will be an intellectual pleasure. I get few opportunities of that sort down here."
"That is very probable," said Hardwick, nodding; "your parishioners are a good sort, but not very learned."
"They have no need to be learned, Mr. Hardwick. Let them fulfil their daily task, and be satisfied with the position in which they have been placed."