The marble fountain with bronze furnishings, in the centre of the court, was formerly in the Place St. Nicaise. It was erected in 1750 from designs by _Coustou_. [Illustration: THE CLOISTER AND FOUNTAIN OF THE HÔTEL-DIEU] [Illustration: THE GRAND STAIRCASE OF THE HÔTEL-DIEU _Through the windows is seen the North Front of St. Remi._] _At the back of the court, on the left_, is an exceedingly fine Louis XVI. staircase with wrought-iron handrail (_photo above_). The =Lapidary Museum=, which was formerly in the crypt of the archi-episcopal chapel (_see p. 65_), was installed under one of the galleries of the cloister in 1896. Of the tombstones, storied floor-tiles, and various carvings which it contains, the most remarkable is the =Tomb of Jovinus=. Consul in 367, Jovinus commanded the armies in Gaul, under the Emperor Julian, and successfully resisted three attempts at invasion by the Alemanni. As a Christian, he founded a basilica at Rheims. The white marble tomb with carvings is apparently Græco-Roman of the 3rd century, and dates back before the time of Jovinus, who died in 370. It is possible that Jovinus had the first occupant of the tomb ejected, or that he bought an old sarcophagus and had his own portrait affixed to it. The chapel installed in the old library of the abbey contained some fine Louis XVI. wood carvings (_see photo below of the ruins of the chapel_). [Illustration: CHAPEL OF THE HÔTEL-DIEU IN 1919] [Illustration: THE OLD CHAPTER-HOUSE OF THE ABBEY] The =chapter-house= of the abbey, which served as a refectory, was rebuilt about the end of the 12th century. With its pointed arches, it belonged to the early period of Gothic architecture. The most remarkable portion was the vestibule facing the cloister. The decoration of the lateral arcades of the vestibule included Roman capitals, nearly all of which are intact (_photo below_), and which are of great value from the standpoint of the history of art and costumes. In the refectory were the _Godard_ tables made out of a single branch of a gigantic oak-tree from the forest of St. Basle. They were given to the old _Hôtel-Dieu_ by Canon Godard, whose name is incrusted in lead in the wood, as a rebus: _Go_, followed by the figure of a dart (French: _dard_). Near the chapter-house, a round-arched chamber was all that remained of the early portion of the abbey. [Illustration: ROMAN CAPITALS IN THE VESTIBULE OF THE CHAPTER-HOUSE] [Illustration: THE GRAND STAIRCASE OF THE HÔPITAL GÉNÉRAL] _After visiting the Hôtel-Dieu, follow the Rue Simon, which skirts the Ecole de Médecine, then turn to the right into the Rue St. Remi. At the end of same, take the Rue Gambetta on the left, and follow it as far as the_ =Hôpital Général= _on the right._ =The Hôpital Général=