Desiree’s Baby is a story about a

girl who is found and adopted

LITER ATURE – 6B by a wealthy family in Louisiana

sometime in the middle to late
1800’s. Louisiana was originally
a French colony, which explains
the French names of the
characters in this story.
START THINKING …
1 Work in pairs. Discuss the questions.
● Why might someone leave a baby at the gate of a rich couple’s house?
● How would you feel if you knew nothing about your family, your parents or
where you came from?
● How do people usually respond when they see a very young baby?

DESIREE’S BABY
(1893) Kate Chopin
As the day was pleasant, Madame Valmonde drove over to
L’Abri to see Desiree and the baby.
It made her laugh to think of Desiree with a baby. Why, it
seemed but yesterday that Desiree was little more than a
5 baby herself; when Monsieur in riding through the gateway of
Valmonde had found her lying asleep in the shadow of the big
stone pillar.
The little one awoke in his arms and began to cry for “Dada.”
That was as much as she could do or say. Some people thought
10 she might have strayed there of her own accord, for she was of
the toddling age. The prevailing belief was that she had been
purposely left by a party of Texans, whose canvas-covered
wagon, late in the day, had crossed the ferry that Coton Mais
kept, just below the plantation. In time Madame Valmonde
15 abandoned every speculation but the one that Desiree had
been sent to her by a beneficent Providence to be the child
of her affection, seeing that she was without child of the flesh.
For the girl grew to be beautiful and gentle, affectionate and
sincere - the idol of Valmonde.
20 It was no wonder, when she stood one day against the stone
pillar in whose shadow she had lain asleep, eighteen years
before, that Armand Aubigny riding by and seeing her there,
had fallen in love with her. That was the way all the Aubignys fell
in love, as if struck by a pistol shot. […] The passion that awoke
25 in him that day, when he saw her at the gate, swept along like
an avalanche, or like a prairie fire, or like anything that drives
headlong over all obstacles.
Monsieur Valmonde grew practical and wanted things well
considered: that is, the girl’s obscure origin. Armand looked
30 into her eyes and did not care. He was reminded that she was
nameless. What did it matter about a name when he could give
her one of the oldest and proudest in Louisiana?
Madame Valmonde had not seen Desiree and the baby for
four weeks. When she reached L’Abri she shuddered at the
35 first sight of it, as she always did. It was a sad looking place,
which for many years had not known the gentle presence of a
mistress... Young Aubigny’s rule was a strict one, too, and under
it his slaves had forgotten how to be happy, as they had been
during the old master’s easy-going and indulgent lifetime.
40 The young mother was recovering slowly, and lay full length,
in her soft white dress, upon a couch. The baby was beside
her, upon her arm, where he had fallen asleep…the nurse,
Zandrine, sat by the window… Madame Valmonde bent over
Desiree and kissed her, holding her an instant tenderly in her
45 arms. Then she turned to the child.
“This is not the baby!” she exclaimed, in startled tones.

2 6B.1 Read the text and listen.

Glossary
strayed moved away from the place 3 Read the text again and answer the questions.
where you should be, without 1 How do most people explain where the baby
intending to Desiree came from?
toddling the way a baby walks
prevailing dominant 2 How does Madame Valmonde explain Desiree’s
struck hit arrival?
swept along moved very quickly 3 What do the words ‘avalanche’ and ‘fire’ suggest
headlong without pause or hesitation about Aubigny’s character?
proudest the most pleased about 4 Why do you think Valmonde means when he
something you have or have advises Aubigny to ‘consider the girl’s obscure
achieved origin?’
easy-going relaxed
tenderly in a gentle way 5 What contrast is made between Aubigny and the
startled shocked or surprised old master of L’Abri?

Think Level 5 Literature 6B PHOTOCOPIABLE © Cambridge University Press 2022

 6B LITER ATU R E

4 READ BETWEEN THE LINES Match a–d with their 3 … comments on how different the baby is.
continuations from 1–6: 4 … is afraid.
a Some Texans c Monsieur Valmonde 5 … is not as strict as usual.
b Aubigny d Madame Valmonde
8 6B.2 Complete sentences 1-5 –5with
withONE
ONEword.
word.
1 … was the first person Desiree spoke to. The first and last letter of each word is provided.
2 … made a journey because the weather was nice.
1 Zandrine had to cut the baby’s f s that
3 … doesn’t like L’Abri much. morning.
4 … saw Desiree in the same place she had been
2 Madame Valmonde looked at Zandrine as
found.
s y as she looked at the baby.
5 … exhibits a family characteristic.
3 Desiree’s face was suffused with a g w
6 … were travelling through the area the same day
of happiness.
Desiree was found.
4 Desiree says Armand is the p t father
5 VOCABULARY Complete the following in the parish.
description of an incident using the words from
the glossary. 5 Armand a d Desiree’s presence and
that of her child.
strayed | startled | headlong | tenderly | easy-going
He was a very man who never seemed
to get angry. So you can imagine how WRITING Describing a family
I was to see him so upset. He was talking to James, relationship or friendship
his grandson, but instead of joking and laughing
he was telling him off. Later, I learned 9 WRITING Think about someone who is very
that James had from the garden, important to you. Write an essay in 150–200
went out onto the pavement and almost walked words explaining why that person is important
into the road. to you. Use your own ideas and try to include
some of the following information:
6 ROLE PLAY Monsieur Valmonde found the baby
• The person’s character and appearance
at the gate of his estate. Below is the first part of
• A time they helped you with a problem
their conversation. Develop the dialogue, use your
own ideas but think about the following points: • How you feel when you’re with this person
• Should they keep her? • What makes this person special, in your opinion
• What should they call her?
• What happens if her parents come looking for her?
Monsieur: Look what I found at the gateway?
Madame: Oh not another puppy! We’ve got too many LITERATURE
already.
Character names. Kate Chopin often chooses names
Monsieur: No! A baby, a lovely baby – she called me
‘Dada’
CHARACTERISATION
for her characters that express their character or
situation. Desiree is desired by Madame Valmonde
Madame: Oh! She’s beautiful … but … you just found as a daughter, by Armand as a wife, and she desires
her? WIT
happiness in her marriage. Writers often use this
technique of names that suggest personality.
7 Before you listen, discuss the following question:
What reasons can you think of for Madame SHORT
10 Think of a book STORIES
you have read and make a list of
Valmonde to say ‘This is not the baby’ at the end characters. Do any of their names express their
of the first extract? personality? Compare your list with another
student. GOTHIC NOVELS
LISTENING 6B.2 –5
Listen and decide if 1-5
below refer to the baby, Desiree, Madame
Valmonde or Armand Aubigny. A phrase might
refer to more than one of them.
1 … is very loud.
2 … is behaving strangely.

Think Level 5 Literature 6B PHOTOCOPIABLE © Cambridge University Press 2022