Being an investigation into mystical and heretical Catholicism at the end of the 19th century, with comparisons to the reign of terror of medieval murderer-mystic Gilles de Rais. What's most interesting is perhaps the degree to which Satanism here is presented as reliant on and subordinate to orthodox Catholicism. The greatest heresiarchs, are, of course, fallen clergy, much of the weird ritual described here is utterly reliant on consecration of the host, and one of the most horrifying aspects of de Rais' career is the degree of devotion he maintains throughout his unbelievable child-killing. In the end, in the face of excommunication, a Church tribunal actually accepted his repentance and re-admitted him to the fold, inconcievable crimes apparently expiated. And Huysmans' protagonist seems to in some sense admire de Rais' wild swing from monster to martyr, as preferable to the blander religion and modernity of his own time. ICK. Informative and excellently composed as this is, I think I much prefer the treatment Jim Shepard gives the subject in his story "Classical Scenes of Farewell" (slated for inclusion in his next collection, next year), which is a rather more scathing demonstration of the overwhelming atmosphere of pious terror and ignorance reigning at the time. But this version certainly seems closer to its source material, and is certainly not without its livid charms. Oh, and there's a love story, sort of.