‘That’s more than you can know,’ answered the Changer of Destinies; ‘It’s more than I know, too. I don’t mind telling you—as I said before—you’re not likely to interfere much with any man’s profits. But cattle are _going to rise_, and that to no foolish price. You mark my words. Before this time twelve months fat cattle will be worth five pounds a head, as sure as my name’s Ab. Levison. And if rain comes—and I’ve seen some signs that I have great dependence on—store cattle will be two and three pounds a head, and hard to buy at that.’ These last words he uttered with great solemnity, and Mr. Neuchamp perceived that he was fully imbued with faith in his own vaticinations. ‘I hope it may be so,’ Ernest replied. ‘Good heavens! what a wonderful change it would make in everything. But why should stock rise so?’ ‘Because the _yield of gold_ is increasing every day and every hour in these colonies. Don’t you see the papers? I thought you was sure to have read everything. Why, you are not half posted up. Look here!’ Here he produced from one of his capacious pockets a much worn and closely printed Melbourne _Argus_, in which mention was made of ‘the astonishing discovery of gold near Bunninyong at Mr. Yuille’s station, commonly known as Ballarat, in such quantity and richness as bade fair to rival the hitherto exhaustless yields of Turonia and California. Great excitement had taken place. Melbourne was deserted. You could not get your hair cut. The barristers were gone, leaving the judges lamenting. The doctors had followed their patients. The clergymen had followed their flocks. The shepherds had deserted theirs. All society existed in a state of dislocation!’ ‘Now,’ he continued, receiving the journal from Ernest, and carefully refolding and returning it to its place of safety, ‘do you see what all this gold breaking out here and there and all about means?’ ‘For the present the Melbourne people seem to think it means loss, if not ruin, to them. The shepherds have nearly all run away, it seems, as also labourers of every description. The writer anticipates a great fall in the value of property. Indeed, houses and town allotments are considered to be hardly worth holding. I should have thought otherwise myself, but’ (here Ernest looked at his companion) ‘I begin to doubt the correctness of my own opinions.’