La révolte dans le désert (1916-1918)

First edition of the French translation for which it was not drawn large papers.
Binding to bradel full percaline burgundy, smooth back with a gold finial, double thread and name of publisher golden tail, as piece of black grief, preserved covers, binding of the time.
Rare autograph signed by the author on a slip attached to the top of the book, the name he adopted in 1923: "to R [ené] D [oynel] Saint-Quentin / Whose Acquaintance DURING THE war the author remembers with very great pleasure. In India. 1928. TE Shaw. "
Relations between Lawrence and René Doynel de Saint-Quentin were remarkably described by C. Leclerc in his book. "TE Lawrence in Arabia." As Maurice Larrés points out in the preface of the book: "Doynel Saint-Quentin is perhaps the French who gave Lawrence portrait the most authentic, the most attentive and sincere, so the most precious in. using reports from Saint-Quentin as he does, Christophe Leclerc fills a regrettable gap, almost total deficiency on the English side, and frequent the French side. "
Lawrence and Saint-Quentin were known in 1915 when it was sent by France to the commander of the Egyptian occupation troops to monitor operations, to learn about the state of the enemy forces and increase information exchange with the English. He was "kept alone with the English army, because of its personal value, tact with which he had fulfilled his mission and the gradual ascendancy he had conquered to the British authorities." Military Attaché near the great British headquarters in Cairo, Saint-Quentin was to provide valuable assistance to the French Military Mission in Egypt, founded in August 1916.
His notes and correspondence also provide essential light on a major episode in the life of Lawrence: taking of Aqaba, where he was the first to officially report in a telegram to the Minister of War of 12 July 1917. He wrote this Anglo-Arab raid a long note in which there is a portrait of Lawrence of three pages. It is presented as a teenager eternal "27, small and thin, hairless and voluntary jaw, high forehead and crowned with blond hair still messy, very clear eyes illuminated by the intensity of thought" adding that he "gives a deep sense of energy and intelligence." Saint-Quentin sees Lawrence "probably the most important figure of the year or of the British administration in the East" (St. Quentin, Note 70, "The raid of Major Lawrence and the English action Aqaba" , August 20, 1917).
The admiration dedicated to Saint-Quentin Lawrence is reciprocal and "when Saint-Quentin was recalled to France, Lawrence wrote a letter (unpublished) particularly eloquent:" Dear Saint-Quentin, (...) I expect I'll aussi see you before you go off on leave. I'm very sorry you are giving up the connection work, though since I have beens on this adventure we have-nots Hejaz Worked together as we used to do in the old days intelligence. It Was Such a comfort to-have one non-Englishman in Cairo Could Speak To Whom one quite frankly about doing anything, and I'm very grateful. Yours sincerely, TE Lawrence. "(Early May 1918).
This friendship between the two men in particular enables Ch. Leclerc contradict the thesis of the supposed animosity Lawrence towards France. It is only motivated by a deep commitment to the Arab cause as evidenced Saint-Quentin himself: "It is indeed without meanness but with as much resolution as franchise, hostile to any French action in Arabia, Syria and Palestine. His opposition is even more clear that he sincerely believes the based not on old rivalries missionaries and archaeologists, where he has drawn, but the higher interests of the Arab race. "
Translation The revolt in the desert, condensed rewriting Seven pillars of wisdom (which despite its success, will be released in France in 1930) embodies the antagonism between the points of view English and French on the Great Arab Revolt and the contribution of France. Thus, Lieutenant Colonel Bremond reproach Lawrence minimize the role of French and overestimating his own, accusing him in his memoirs of Francophobia. Yet it is with Saint-Quentin, behind the War Cross awarded to Lawrence on November 23, 1917. On October 15, he wrote indeed in Saint-Quentin, "I thought to give the Croix de Guerre in Lawrence. What do you think? ".
By dedicating to Saint-Quentin this account of their common experience, Lawrence testifies, ten years after their separation, his complicity with this French friend, whose testimony will also help to restore the truth of this historic episode, far from the state rivalries including Lawrence was the target.
Pleasant specimen enriched with a rare autograph signed by the author.
(References: "TE Lawrence in Arabia," Christophe Leclerc, L'Harmattan, 1998)