My Private Menagerie from The Works of Theophile Gautier Volume 19

The narrator opens a whimsical memoir of a lifelong devotion to animals, recalling how, even as a child, he was surrounded by cats and dogs that seemed as much a part of his identity as his own clothes. He likens his affection to that of Byron’s faithful Newfoundland, and soon the voice becomes that of a young boy newly arrived in Paris, homesick for the Gascon hills and for a missing dog named Cagnotte. When a street‑vendor’s “Pont‑Neuf” pup arrives, the child’s heart leapt, and the little dog quickly becomes a loyal companion, his gentle licks soothing the boy’s melancholy.

A playful incident reveals the narrator’s curiosity and love for truth: discovering a swelled, lamb‑skin coat that chokes the dog, he orders a quick rescue with scissors. Freed, the animal’s joy and simple vigor remind the young narrator that comfort and character eclipse all notions of beauty. This early vignette sets a warm, reflective tone for a collection of animal anecdotes that blend humor, tenderness, and a keen eye for the quirks of domestic life.