The Rue de Tambour owes its name either to the statue of a tambourine-player on one of its houses, or to the presence of the town-drummer who lived in it. It was first damaged, then burnt, in April, 1918. [Illustration: THE STATUES OF THE MUSICIANS' HOUSE _The house was destroyed by bombardment, but the statues were saved._] Previous to 1918, old houses in this street were still numerous. The most celebrated was the now completely destroyed =Musicians' House= (_photo above_), the true origin of which is unknown. It has variously been supposed to have been the house of a rich burgess, of the Tom Fiddlers' Brotherhood, and the Mint of the Archbishops of Rheims. The first storey of the façade had been preserved intact since the 13th century. In the Gothic niches which separated the mullioned and transomed windows, five large seated figures on carved consoles (_photo above_) represented _a tambourine and flute player_, _a piper_, _a falconer_ with crossed legs, _a harpist_ and _an organ-grinder_ crowned with a garland of flowers. The falcon on the wrist of the central figure was removed by the organisers of the consecration of Charles X., as it was feared that the royal banners might get caught on it. Fortunately, these statues, which are remarkable for their natural expression and vigour were removed to a place of safety before the house was destroyed. Thanks to a public subscription, the town was able to acquire them shortly before the war, thus preventing them from being sold abroad. The cellars of this house are curious, but there exists no proof that they date back, as has been said, to the Roman period. [Illustration: 14TH CENTURY DOORWAY, 22 RUE DE TAMBOUR] The adjoining house (No. 22) is 14th century, and probably dates back to about the end of the reign of Philippe-le-Bel. Its front has been greatly spoilt, but still contains a fine door surmounted by an elliptical arch (_photo above_). At No. 13 of this street, two 13th century carved heads, one of a man and the other of a woman wearing one of the mortar-shaped hats in fashion until the end of the reign of St. Louis, have been built into the façade. _At the end of the Rue de Tambour, take the Rue de Mars, on the right of the Hôtel-de-Ville, at the end of which, on the left, stands the Triumphal Arch of the_ =Mars Gate=. [Illustration: THE RUE DE MARS. THE TOWN HALL IS ON THE LEFT] [Illustration: MARS GATE] =The Mars Gate= [Illustration: 18TH CENTURY ENGRAVING BY COLLIN OF THE VAULTING OF THE ROMULUS AND REMUS ARCADE OF THE MARS GATE _In the centre: Romulus and Remus suckled by the she-wolf._]