L -Bas is an 1891 novel by the French writer Joris-Karl Huysmans. The story concerns Durtal, a man disgusted by the shallowness and decadence of the world within which he lives. Turning to the study of the Middle Ages as a form of escapism, he learns of the notorious 15th-century child-murderer Gilles de Rais. Through this research, he discovers that Satanism is not something lost and forgotten to the annuls of time, but instead alive and thriving in contemporary France. Intrigued, Durtal commences a serious investigation of the mysterious and dangerous occult. Charles-Marie-Georges Huysmans 1848 - 1907 was a French novelist who wrote under the pseudonym J.K. Joris-Karl Huysmans. He best known for his novel rebours 1884. Other notable works by this author include Marthe 1876, Les Soeurs Vatard 1879, and En m nage 1881. Many vintage books such as this are becoming increasingly scarce and expensive. We are republishing this volume now in a modern, high-quality edition complete with a s