T. E. Lawrence to his mother

Hotel de France
Lannion

August 13 1906

Dear Mother

Have got here all right after a pleasant ride through beautiful weather. We stayed Sunday at Paimpol, and saw Ploubaylanec [sic in HL] and Beauport. The situation of the first is perfect;- the architecture of the abbey at the latter better still. The refectory of the abbey is the finest vaulted hall I have yet seen. The style is 1st Pointed (E.E.). Visitors are 'rigoreousement defendus' from entering the abbey which lies in private grounds, and so we were forced to enter by the back door. We thus lost the best view of the 'ensemble'. At Paimpol on Sunday night about eleven we were disturbed by the continual tooting of a motor horn, and yells of 'feu'. A fire had broken out in the town, and for an hour, (which was all the duration of the erif, we were deafened by the most awful row I
ever heard. Everyone yelled! The people in the bedroom next to us began to knock down chairs and scream.

Three buglers and two drummers sounded the 'reveille' for an hour and a half, and the motor horn still tooted. Firemen rushed about dragging engines and yelling, no one kept cool, and the result was that the fire burnt furiously without anyone doing anything but dance and rave deliriously. I never saw such an instance of incapacity. In the morning the hotel presented a great bill: larger than they said it would be. The result is that our expenditure is 8/- per day instead of 6/- up to the present. We were also robbed shamefully at Treguier today when at 'dejeuner', a meal in which S. delights.

Treguier has a beautiful cathedral, with the best cloisters I have ever seen. I will buy some post cards if my money allows it. Till now I have spent some 36 francs on hotels, and stamps are to be counted as well, also post cards. We have only had two punctures, both in Scroggs' tyres. One in St. Malo, mended by myself, and one outside Lamballe mended most excellently by myself. Yesterday my brake wire (back) broke. I rode here applying my foot to the wheel at hills, and took it to two shops which had no suitable place. At last I found a practical workshop, and got a mécanicien to assist me in mending it. I hope all is right now. They charged 4 francs which was cheap, considering that we were two hours over it. There was a lot of soldering to do so I could not do the job alone. My bicycle decidedly surprised them. I gave the man who helped me 1 franc for himself, since I kept him an hour over time: we have only spent 1 franc in tips besides this;- we have thus introduced quite a reform.

The foliage and flora here are semi-tropical, plants I have never seen before flourish in the open air. It is quite a common sight to see old women spinning in their cottage doorways. Would you like a spinning wheel? The children flee in terror when they see us in our cycle capes; such articles are unknown: I have only seen two French lady cyclists, and one was in rational dress. There is a St. John's man staying in this hotel. I do not know his name, only he rather resembles Thompson, except that he is almost bald. Tomorrow we go by Tonquédec, a wonderful château, to Guingamp. At this place there is a church with 5 naves, and the thickest circular pillar I have ever seen. It contains the stairs of the rood-loft, and is gigantic. Father would have enjoyed the Cathedral of Treguier: it was magnificent, mostly flamboyant, but very massive: nearly all the pillars here are very massive, except the Norman, which are octagonal and very thin. I got your p.c. at Paimpol; thank you very much for it: I hope you will all enjoy yourselves. Take gentle rides at first, gradually increasing in pace and length. We have sent cards of Ploubay to Mr. Cove. Scroggs wants me to go out with him so I cannot continue: keep yourself well, and let me know the local and Ewelme results: both were out before S. left Oxford.

[. . .] my love: I think [. . .] his [. . .]

Love to all

Ned

Notes:
The paragraph breaks, reproduced here from HL, are incorrect.
Ploubaylanec - HL mistranscription of Ploubazlanec.
'erif' - fire spelt backwards.