Le Fantôme (The Ghost) is part of the first volume of Nouveau Théâtre de Guignol (New Guignol Theatre), published in 1898. In this work, Louis Lemercier de Neuville tried to “correct” the flaws of glove-puppet theatre, which he takes out of the streets and into salons. Lemercier de Neuville tried to revive this theatrical tradition and to change its language (both the dialect from Lyon and Parisian slang) to make it easier to understand for all kinds of audiences. The author also updated and adapted the repertoire so that the plays could be performed by a single puppeteer; to do so, he added technical information about the manipulation, meant to guide amateurs wanting to begin practicing this art.

Françoise, Babylas’s wife, complains that she is lonely, and that her husband is a drunk and a miser. She would like to see Isidore, his nephew, whom Babylas has sent away. Isidore arrives and says that he has found work as a painter of lobsters’ legs, but that he was turned out again. Françoise says that her husband beats her when he drinks. Right before Babylas goes down for dinner, Isidore hides under the table. During the meal Babylas wants to drink, but he hears several knocks from under the table, which rises. Scared, he believes that Isidore, who is covered by a tablecloth, is a devil. Isidore introduces himself as the ghost of Babylas’s late brother. He commands the latter to take his nephew back, to give him a good job, and to stop beating his wife; otherwise, his wine will turn into vinegar, and he will lose his money and be sent to prison. Babylas takes his bottle to hit the ghost. The tablecloth falls and Isodore hides. Babylas calls his wife and relates that he has seen his dead brother. Scared of being hanged, he admits that he has been neglectful and asks Françoise to go fetch Isidore. The latter arrives, and Babylas promises to stop drinking and beating his wife.