There are several handwritten versions of this play, which was previously published under the title Le Duel in the first collection of plays for Guignol compiled by Jean-Baptiste Onofrio in 1865. In this version, the old man is Bertrand, and the role of the sergeant is played by La Ramée. The work is presented as being the work of Laurent Mourguet or his direct heirs: Louis Josserand père, Victor-Napoléon Vuillerme-Dunand, etc. The version described here is a handwritten copy from 1904, acquired by the collector Léopold Dor from the puppeteer Joanny Durafour, and kept at the Musée des Arts de la Marionnette - Gadagne in Lyon. The copy bears the stamp of the Théâtre Guignol du Gymnase, run by the Mercier nephews at 30, quai Saint-Antoine in Lyon.

A note attached to the manuscript, written by Durafour in 1928, indicates that the author of the play is probably Louis Josserand or Vuillerme-Dunant. It specifies that ‘everyone performs it’ and that it is usually presented at the beginning of the show, when the curtain rises.

Cassandre is supposed to fight a duel with a sergeant, but he decides to pay Guignol to go in his place. The sergeant, meanwhile, has lost the card Cassandre gave him, so he cannot remember the location of the duel or the name of his opponent. Guignol then goes to see him and challenges him to a duel. During the confrontation, Guignol pretends to be killed. But when the sergeant returns to the room, Guignol jumps out and stabs him in the back. A fight breaks out, interrupted by two 'gendarmes' (policemen). Guignol then accuses the sergeant of trying to kill him and the latter is arrested.