Built on the site of the ancient _forum_, the Market Square, before the war, still contained several remarkable 15th century wooden houses. Unfortunately, they were destroyed by the terrible bombardment of May 8-15, 1918, together with the Square. [Illustration: THE "HÔTEL DE LA SALLE" _On the left: the Carriage Entrance with Caryatids: Adam and Eve._] [Illustration: THE COURTYARD OF THE "HÔTEL DE LA SALLE" _The graceful Turret has partially collapsed._] _After turning to the right, on leaving the Rue Colbert, and quite close to the Square, at No. 4 in the Rue de l'Arbalète_, is the house, dating from the middle of the 16th century, where =J. B. de la Salle= was born. Although this house suffered from the bombardments of 1918, its front is practically intact. It is the finest Renaissance front in Rheims, after that of =Le Vergeur's House= (_see p. 85_). The carriage entrance is flanked with two life-size caryatids, popularly called _Adam and Eve_, on account of their nudity. Along the first storey runs a broad frieze ornamentated with trophies of arms and a shield of unknown significance. Between two windows of this storey a niche, resting on a console, is crowned with a canopy. The shops on the ground-floor somewhat spoilt the general look of the building. The interior of the house was less interesting than the front. In the courtyard is a strikingly graceful three-storey turret (_photo above_), one side of which has collapsed. Among the wooden houses destroyed by the bombardments of 1918 in the Place des Marchés, the following must be mentioned: the =Maison Fossier= (_see p. 76_), which stood in the Square at the right-hand corner of the Rue de l'Arbalète, and especially the =Maison de l'Enfant d'Or= (sometimes wrongly called the House of Jacques Callou), which stood near the Rue des Elus. The latter house took its name from an old sign representing the gilt figure of a sleeping child. Hence, punningly, the name _Golden_ or _Sleeping_ Child. In spite of alterations, this house (_photo, p. 77_), with its pent-house roof, two overhanging storeys, windows crowned with finials, and sculptural decoration (_see carved console, p. 77_), was a well-preserved specimen of 15th century architecture. _From the Place des Marchés, follow the Rue Colbert to the_ =Place Royale=. [Illustration: BEFORE THE WAR _See text, page 75._] [Illustration: AFTER THE WAR THE "MAISON FOSSIER," BEFORE AND AFTER THE WAR _See Itinerary, p. 61 (No. 5 of Explanatory Notes)._] [Illustration: SEE TEXT. _p. 75_ RUINS OF THE "MAISON DE L'ENFANT D'OR" _Second house on the left, after the Rue des Elus. (See p. 77.)_] [Illustration: THIS VERY CURIOUS 15TH CENTURY HOUSE STOOD IN THE MARKET-PLACE It was completely destroyed (_see p. 76._) THE "MAISON DE L'ENFANT D'OR," BEFORE THE WAR] [Illustration: BRACKET OF THE "MAISON DE L'ENFANT D'OR," REPRESENTING SAMSON SLAYING THE LION]