“Stay, Mr. Jingle!” said the spinster aunt emphatically. “You have made an allusion to Mr. Tupman⁠—explain it.”

“Never!” exclaimed Jingle, with a professional ( i.e. , theatrical) air. “Never!” and, by way of showing that he had no desire to be questioned further, he drew a chair close to that of the spinster aunt and sat down.

“ Mr. Jingle,” said the aunt, “I entreat⁠—I implore you, if there is any dreadful mystery connected with Mr. Tupman, reveal it.”