Marcel Schwob (1867ndash;1905) was one of the key symbolist writers, standing in French literature alongside such names as Steacute;phane Mallarmeacute;, Octave Mirbeau, Andreacute; Gide, Leacute;on Bloy, Jules Renard, Reacute;my de Gourmont, and Alfred Jarry. His best-known works are Double Heart (1891), The King In The Gold Mask (1892), and Imaginary Lives (1896). He was friends with Oscar Wilde and died prematurely, allegedly from rectal syphilis.