T. E. Lawrence Correspondence – Page 275

LH 9/13/42 To Major General A. P. Wavell. 9. 2. 23 Dear Wavell I am reading your book, and liking it very much. My first vanity, when I got it, was to look up myself in the index! I apologise for this; but so many people have either overdone or underdone the Arab business that it's a real pleasure to see a fair statement of the case; so I take back my apology. Your r'u here thrown my person : this wasn't necessary, you know? The author has only too good an opinion, at ready, of his ... prose. Yet, of course, yet not very far: indeed I've only turned it over and read the tit-bits : they have left me with a sharp appetite for it all : and as it serves me I'm going right through, checking each move with the map. I fancy there will be more lessons in the Palestine Campaigns than in the French ones. I hope you have kept the enemy always in the picture. War-books so often leave them out : and neither Islam nor Arabs is very sui..ble. No, India is not good. We are seven miles from Kar-achi. I have passed a lot of self-denying ordinances: one of which keeps me within easy bounds, another forbids me the cam- tees, a third prevents my ever sitting down on another man's bed or using any place but a plaster saint : but even then there's enough. After a year of verier evident non-notice the C.O. sent for me, & stepped heavily on my face. However, he has made or used to be (we arranged his face, from Xudros in 1915, wonder- ful how they get back, isn't it?) and Salm ma...ing that stepped in and saved me. So all is well, & my conduct still white. If I'm lucky it will be in- cluding arrest : the only decent thing about India is the gland in 1930. The only decent thing about India is the climate here : never cold enough for an overcoat, or hot enough for a sun-helmet. A marvellous relief after Ara- bia and Egypt. I'm glad you have the mechanical aids to play with. It will completely change the face of future tactics. I think and hope. The abolition of the rifle, shall we say? ... very good riddance. Give my regards to Harty and Clayton, if you meet them some while. That fat-head, Philby, is going to write a book against Gertrude & me. Cat & puppy, it was. Kill he call us soul-affinities? Fet-head again to him.