II
I was delighted to be told by Sleaford, whom I met one afternoon in
Piccadilly, that Cyril had returned to London within the last few
days. 'He is appointed artist-in-chief of the new comic paper, _The
Caricaturist,_ said Sleaford, 'and is in great feather. I have just
been calling upon him.'
'The very man I want to see,' I replied. Sleaford thereupon directed
me to Cyril's studio 'You'll find him at work,' said he, 'doin' a
caricature of Wilderspin's great picture, "Faith and Love." Mother
Gudgeon is sittin' as his model. He does everything from models, you
know.'
'Mother Gudgeon?'
'A female costermonger that he picked up some where in the slums, the
funniest woman in London: haw! haw! I promise you she'll make you
laugh when Cyril draws her out.'
He then began to talk upon the subject which interested him above all
others, the smartness and swiftness of his yacht. 'I am trying to
persuade your mother and aunt to go for a cruise with me, and I think
I shall succeed.'
He directed me to the studio, and we parted.
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