spring forth from the union of a rat and a royal ?"
The crowd of Lords and Ladies seemed quite shocked at the sentiment . Perhaps they were confused as to whether they should agree with so high an earl and accept that the mayors and baronets in my family were too lowly born . Perhaps they were mayors and baronets themselves and were afraid of being outed ? And perhaps they could still recognize a snob when they saw one ?
" And yet ," he continued , “ my heart isn ' t so hardened against the Bride that I forget the Bridegroom . Vile heir to that vile family that enslaved my noble lineage , allowing weeds to grow around the throne and bar my ascent . Villainous family , second only to that traitor James the First —“ ( Aunt quite had a fit at the condemnation of the monarchy !) “— who killed my brother there before my very eyes . I have come to claim my own ! Already is Victoria ' s son under my dark shadow , as well as some of the vile prattling children spawned by the guests here assembled ; so eager to drink , and kiss and sigh and pant . Too many have cropped up in my absence , but you Percy de Longueville , you I know , and you I shall destroy at the fore !"
This speech was going on a little too long for my tastes , and so I unsheathed the wooden stake from my bouquet and lunged at the vampire ! Percy drew his sword . The vampire spread his dark shadow , and in an instant in all directions the shadows sprang like wolves onto our monster hunting friends , sitting upon their chests and holding them down under their vicious paws . The guests began to flee !
Ruthven Gowrie wrestled me quite over the