When the Count saw my face, his eyes blazed with a sort of demonic fury, and he suddenly made a grab at my throat. I drew away and his hand touched the string of beads which held the crucifix. It made an instant change in him, for the fury passed so quickly that I could hardly believe that it was ever there.

"Take care," he said, "take care how you cut yourself. It is more dangerous than you think in this country." Then, seizing the shaving glass, he went on, "And this is the wretched thing that has done the mischief. It is a foul bauble of man's vanity. Away with it!" And opening the window with one wrench of his terrible hand, he flung out the glass, which was shattered into a thousand pieces on the stones of the courtyard far below. Then he withdrew without a word. It is very annoying, for I do not see how I am to shave, unless in my watch-case or the bottom of the shaving pot, which is fortunately of metal.

Vocabulary:

Blaze: Go up like a flame
Demonic: Like a devil from hell
Wretched: Bad, miserable, in horrible condition
Foul: Nasty and dirty
Bauble: Something cheap and showy
Vanity: Thinking yourself more important than you are
Wrench: A pull and twist together
Withdrew: Left, went out
Watch-case: Victorian watches were carried in the pocket