Early in June 1830, I met him in the street, arm in arm with Brucker. Brucker was a painter on china, and one of the most original workers in the journalism of 1830. I met them both at the very moment when the first of the hundred guns announcing the capture of Algiers were being fired. "Listen!" Karr asked. "What is that? It sounds like the firing of guns." "Doubtless Algiers has been taken," I replied. "Bah! Have they been besieging it?" Karr replied. Algiers was, indeed, taken; its surname of _la Guerrière_ had not availed to save it. That nest of vultures which, as Hugo said, had been only half killed by Duquesne, was, at last, destroyed by M. de Bourmont. Directly the great news was received, the Minister for Marine, Baron d'Haussez, rushed off to the king. When he was announced, Charles X. sprang towards him with open arms; M. d'Haussez intended to kiss his hand, but Charles drew him to his breast. "Come to my arms," he said; "to-day we all kiss one another." And the king and his minister embraced. However, amidst these apparent favours which Providence seemed to be piling on the head of the Elder Branch, clearsighted men could discern a yawning abyss. "Take care!" M. Beugnot exclaimed, like a terrified pilot. "Unless you take care, the Monarchy will founder under canvas like a fully armed ship!" "I should be much less uneasy were M. de Polignac a bit more so!" M. de Metternich remarked to our Ambassador at Vienna, M. de Renneval. It must be confessed that even the Opposition, who were not so far-seeing as M. Beugnot and M. de Metternich, undertook to reassure the king, in the event of His Majesty feeling any anxiety. How, indeed, could they fear anything, when M. Dupin senior, one of the leaders of the Opposition, said, during the debate on the Address-- "The _fundamental basis_ of the Address is _a profound respect for the person of the King_; it expresses in the very highest degree _veneration for the ancient race of Bourbons_; it represents _legitimacy_, as a _legal truths_ but, further, as a _social necessity_-a necessity--now recognised _by all thoughtful minds_, the true outcome of experience and of conviction." O good Monsieur Dupin! of sound mind and integrity of judgment, a shining light of the Bar, a fearless and blameless legislator; you who, pondering over the trial of Jesus, wrote these sublime lines on Pontius Pilate--