The fate of animals is of greater importance to me than the fear of appearing ridiculous it is indissolubly connected with the fate of men.

Zola frames concern for animals as a moral issue that outweighs social embarrassment. The “fear of appearing ridiculous” suggests the pressure of public opinion—especially acute for a prominent writer—yet he insists ethical responsibility should not be governed by fashion or mockery. By saying animal fate is “indissolubly connected with the fate of men,” he argues that cruelty to animals and indifference to their suffering corrode human character and society; how a culture treats the vulnerable becomes a measure of its broader justice. The statement also implies that reforms in animal welfare are not peripheral sentimentalism but part of a larger humanitarian project.