i.e, beneath the veil and beneath his bare ignorance

72. le défendaient sur tous les points, *shielded him on every side.'

73. y> * in him,' i^e. Napoléon ; rarely used in référence to persons. * Without succeeding in detecting a vulnérable point.' Surprendre^ *to detect,' * catch un9.wares,' contains tJîis meaning of vulnérable point.

73-4. ce porc-épic, toujours armé, 'this porcupine {i.e. Napoléon) always on the défensive,* or * on its guard.' Plural : porc'épics^ the word being best considered as one single word (Littré). Compare * porte-feuille,* plural * porte-feuilles.'