This phrase comes at the beginning of the story when we
are told of how Armand fell in love with Desiree "like a pistol shot." Although
Valmonde, Desiree's guardian, does his best to remind Armand of Desiree's "obscure
origin" (which refers to her probable illegitimate state), and the way that she does not
have a "name" (referring to her uncertain parentage and lack of connections), Armand
insists that he must marry her with no delay. Note his
reasoning:
What did it matter about a name when he could
give her one of the oldest and proudest in
Louisiana?
Of course, there
is intense irony in the phrase you have mentioned. Although he is cautioned by Valmonde
as much as possible and her uncertain extraction, he still insists on marrying Desiree,
only to find that the child they have together is obviously mixed race. Armand leaps to
the conclusion that because of Desiree's background, she must be responsible for this,
whilst all along it is actually his own hidden past that is
responsible.
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