This anonymous comedy was written for the Italian Actors of the Hôtel de Bourgogne. Although Maupoint credited it to Michel Chilliat in Bibliothèque des théâtres (1733), its authorship has been challenged since. It is believed that Chilliat was in fact only the editor of the play. Maupoint added that “it had not been performed”. Yet, in an earlier edition published in 1696, he had claimed that the comedy “had been performed at the Italian-style theatre of the Hôtel de Bourgogne”.

At the time, the word “souffleur” refered to a talentless alchemist, “someone looking for the Philosopher’s Stone, who owns a furnace and trades his goods for coal, in the hope of uncovering the secret for making gold. “Souffleur” is a dangerous trade—it brings about the ruin of anyone who engages in it” (Antoine Furetière, Dictionnaire universel, 1690).

A puppet play is staged at the end of the first act. This miniature example of the theatre within the theatre seems to recount the medieval tale of two lovers – Pierre de Provence and a Neapolitan princess known as La Belle Maguelonne. But the puppet play actually relates the story of the first act to Cintio and Isabelle. It is performed using a curiosité, that is, a type of portable mechanical altarpiece that used to be associated with Savoyard chimney sweeps (which explains Arlequin’s and Mezetin’s costumes).

In order to help his mater Octavio marry Isabelle (Cintio’s daughter), Mezetin becomes Cintio’s servant. Cintio and the Doctor are looking for the Philosopher’s Stone. Arlequin and Mezetin dress as chimney sweeps and make the story of La Belle Maguelone into a puppet show, during which they give Octavio’s letter to Isabelle. Arlequin cross-dresses as a viscountess and fails to convince a marquis and the Doctor to share their secrets. Octavio proposes to Isabelle, but Cintio forbids their union. Quacks show up to an assembly called by the Doctor, and they are driven out by Polichinel. The quacks boast about their inventions, but they run away when they see Mezetin and Pierrot, who are respectively dressed as a Commissaire (commissioner) and a Clerc (clerk). The Commissaire tells Cintio that Isabelle has been abducted. Octavio comes forward to save her. When Isabelle comes back, Cintio still forbids their marriage. But Octavio threatens to report him for having invited counterfeiters. Everyone goes watch Mars and Apollon’s fight on the Place des Victoires (Victory square). Cintio finally accepts Octavio as his son-in-law.