Desiree's Baby

Desiree's Baby Summary | Detailed Summary

Madame Valmonde is going to visit her daughter, Desiree, and her new baby. She is shocked that Desiree could have a baby because it seems like only yesterday the young girl came into her life. Desiree was found at the Valmonde plantation by Monsieur Valmonde when she was just a toddler. All the town's people had theories about where the young girl had come from, but Madame Valmonde didn't care. She had no children of her own, and she considered Desiree a gift from God sent for her to love.

Desiree grew up to be a beautiful young lady who was worshiped by her mother. One day, as she stood by the pillar where she was found, Armand Aubigny rode past her and felt pangs of love. He had known Desiree all her life, but had never felt this way about her. Suddenly he was seized with the urge to marry her. Monsieur Valmonde tried to dissuade him from going forward with the marriage because of Desiree's unknown origins, but Armand could not be persuaded against marrying her. He sent to Paris to have a wedding set sent to him. Once it arrived with its household items, he and Desiree were married.

Madame Valmonde was making her first visit to Desiree in more than four weeks, and she is so surprised to see how much the child had grown. When she asks how Armand feels about the baby, Desiree gets so excited. Armand has always been known to running a strict plantation and for being exceptionally cruel to his slaves. Desiree tells her mother that he is so proud that he has been kind even to the slaves. Her mother notices that her happiness is apparent in every gesture she makes.

Desiree was right. Marriage and the birth of their son had made Armand happy and nicer. However, when the baby turned three months old, Desiree noticed something changing at the plantation. Visitors seemed to drop by for no reason, and Armand had grown distant. He had resumed punishing the slaves with a new fervor that Desiree hadn't seen before. She couldn't quite figure out what the problem was.

Then as she watches a young quadroon boy, a person who is one quarter black, fanning her son, she notices an astonishing similarity between the boys. When Armand walked into the room, she asked him what it means.

He tells her that it means their son is black and that she is not white. She is mortified at the revelation and sends a note to her mother telling her that everyone says she is not white. Her mother replies that she should return home with her baby. Desiree shows the letter to her husband, and he agrees that she should leave. She is sad and leaves immediately not bothering to even take any of her things with her. She doesn't take the road but rather walks through the field, ruining her dress and hurting her feet.

A few weeks later, Armand starts a bonfire and commands his slaves to burn the things that had belonged to his wife and child. The last thing he throws on the fire is a packet of love letters that Desiree had written to him. There is still one letter left in the drawer that he keeps his letters in. It is a letter from his mother to his father. In the letter, his mother thanks her husband for his love. She goes on to say she is so happy that Armand will never know that she belonged to the race that are considered slaves.