The practice of intentionally inflicting pain or sensation upon another human being as a means of obtaining sexual energy release predates Comte de Sade
From ancient Japan to hitchin' in L.A., shibari has an interesting history.
A history of old European BDSM Houses.
Sacher-Masoch is best known for the novel, "Venus in Furs."
"Imperious, choleric, irascible, extreme in everything, with a dissolute imagination the like of which has never been seen, atheistic to the point of fanaticism, there you have me in a nutshell...." The Marquis de Sade
In the scene, trying to come to an agreement about the "Old Guard" is a lot like comparing the merits of various religions.
On the dangers of secret society stories.
In regards to ancient "Houses" of D/s ad BDSM.
Any "Old Guard" which existed at the time did not widely see itself as such. Instead, they were more like, as the song lyric goes "just a bunch of people, doin' the best they could."
A report on a beautiful but mysterious and controversial presentation.
The differences between European and Oriental ways of implementing D/s based upon historical differences into a modern relationship