He went into the house for a few moments, and reappeared, followed by the keeper, a splendid-looking fellow, with a brown, handsome face, great shoulders, and long legs encased in rough top-boots. This Hermann had been the head-keeper, chief forester, and what not, of Schönstein, when Mr. Hubbard bought the place; and on the principle of the Portuguese navigators, who brought home men and women from the Guinea Coast to prove that they had been there, the Count carried the big Schwarzwalder over to England with him, as a specimen of what he had purchased abroad. Unlike most of his Schwarzwald brethren, Hermann knew not a word of English; Hubbard knew not a word of German; and for many a month after his expatriation the efforts of master and man to understand each other formed a constant comedy at the Place. In one or two cases Mr. Anerley was besought to act as interpreter; and even now nothing delighted the stalwart, good-natured Blackforester so much as a long talk in his native language with any of his master’s guests who were complaisant enough to humour him. "Hermann," said the Count, loudly, to let his visitors know that _now_ he could support his rank by talking in the language of the country which gave it him, "das Fräulein wunscht die—die Rehe zu sehen——" "The Rehe are all died, Herr Graf," said the sturdy keeper, who would not have his native tongue burlesqued. "Ich meine die—die—the deer that are there," said the Count, sharply and hotly, "und sie müssen, wissen Sie, etwas—etwas—eh—ah—etwas Speise——" "Futter, nicht wahr?" suggested Will, looking gravely at Dove. "Yes, yes, of course; the fellow knows well enough. I mean to get the deer to come up to him." "They will come without nothing, Herr Graf," said the tall forester. They crossed the small iron bridge leading from the lawn over the river into the park. The deer were for the most part lying down, underneath the shadow of three large oaks, one or two only still standing and nibbling the grass. When our party drew near, however, the whole herd rose and retreated a little, while one of the bucks came proudly to the front and stood with his small head and tall horns erect, watching the approach of the strangers. "Will you come with me, Fräulein?" said Hermann; and Dove went forward with him, leaving the others behind. No sooner had the keeper thus made himself distinctly visible, than two or three of the does came timidly forward, alternating a little quiet canter with a distrustful pause, and at last one of them came quite up to the keeper, and looked rather wistfully at his hand with her large soft brown eyes. "This is her I call _Lämmchen_," said Hermann, stroking the small neck of the hind, "she is so tame. And there is _Leopard_ over there, with the spots on him. I speak to them in German; they know it all the same."