下载辰思小说免费APP
Theartofmotherhoodinvolvesmuchsilent，unobtrusiveself-denial，anhourlydevotionwhichfindsnodetailtoominute。Thesoupwarmingbeforethefiremustbewatched。AmIthekindofwoman，doyousuppose，toshirksuchcares？Thehumblesttaskmayearnarichharvestofaffection。Howprettyisachild’slaughwhenhefindsthefoodtohisliking!Armandhasawayofnoddinghisheadwhenheispleasedthatisworthalifetimeofadoration。HowcouldIleavetoanyoneelsetheprivilegeanddelight，aswellastheresponsibility，ofblowingonthespoonfulofsoupwhichistoohotformylittleNais，mynurslingofsevenmonthsago，whostillremembersmybreast？
Whenanursehasallowedachildtoburnitstongueandlipswithscaldingfood，shetellsthemother，whohurriesuptoseewhatiswrong，thatthechildcriedfromhunger。Howcouldamothersleepinpeacewiththethoughtthatabreath，lesspurethanherown，hascooledherchild’sfood——themotherwhomNaturehasmadethedirectvehicleoffoodtoinfantlips。TominceachopforNais，whohasjustcutherlastteeth，andmixthemeat，cookedtoaturn，withpotatoes，isaworkofpatience，andtherearetimes，indeed，whennonebutamothercouldsucceedinmakinganimpatientchildgothroughwithitsmeal。
Nonumberofservants，then，andnoEnglishnursecandispenseamotherfromtakingthefieldinpersoninthatdailycontest，wheregentlenessaloneshouldgrapplewiththelittlegriefsandpainsofchildhood。Louise，thecareoftheseinnocentdarlingsisaworktoengagethewholesoul。Towhosehandandeyes，butone’sown，intrustthetaskoffeeding，dressing，andputtingtobed？Broadlyspeaking，acryingchildistheunanswerablecondemnationofmotherornurse，exceptwhenthecryistheoutcomeofnaturalpain。NowthatIhavetwotolookafter(andathirdontheroad)，theyoccupyallmythoughts。Evenyou，whomIlovesodearly，havebecomeamemorytome。
Myowndressingisnotalwayscompletedbytwoo’clock。Ihavenofaithinmotherswhoseroomsareinapple-pieorder，andwhothemselvesmighthavesteppedoutofabandbox。YesterdaywasoneofthoselovelydaysofearlyApril，andIwantedtotakemychildrenforawalk，whileIwasstillable——forthewarningbellisinmyears。
Suchanexpeditionisquiteanepictoamother!Onedreamsofitthenightbefore!Armandwasforthefirsttimetoputonalittleblackvelvetjacket，anewcollarwhichIhadworked，aScotchcapwiththeStuartcolorsandcock’sfeathers；Naiswastobeinwhiteandpink，withoneofthosedeliciouslittlebabycaps；forsheisababystill，thoughshewilllosethatprettytitleonthearrivaloftheimpatientyoungster，whomIcallmybeggar，forhewillhavetheportionofayoungerson。(Yousee，Louise，thechildhasalreadyappearedtomeinavision，soIknowitisaboy。)
Well，caps，collars，jackets，socks，daintylittleshoes，pinkgarters，themuslinfrockwithsilkembroidery，——allwaslaidoutonmybed。Thenthelittlebrownheadshadtobebrushed，twitteringmerrilyallthetimelikebirds，answeringeachother’scall。Armand’shairisincurls，whileNais’isbroughtforwardsoftlyontheforeheadasabordertothepink-and-whitecap。Thentheshoesarebuckled；andwhenthelittlebarelegsandwell-shodfeethavetrottedofftothenursery，whiletwoshiningfaces(/clean/，Marycallsthem)
andeyesablazewithlifepetitionmetostart，myheartbeatsfast。
Tolookonthechildrenwhomone’sownhandhasarrayed，thepureskinbrightlyveinedwithblue，thatonehasbathed，laved，andspongedanddeckedwithgaycolorsofsilkorvelvet——why，thereisnopoemcomesneartoit!Withwhateager，covetouslongingonecallsthembackforonemorekissonthosewhitenecks，which，intheirsimplecollars，theloveliestwomancannotrival。Eventhecoarsestlithographofsuchascenemakesamotherpause，andIfeastmyeyesdailyonthelivingpicture!
Onceoutofdoors，triumphantintheresultofmylabors，whileIwasadmiringtheprincelyairwithwhichlittleArmandhelpedbabytototteralongthepathyouknow，Isawacarriagecoming，andtriedtogetthemoutoftheway。Thechildrentumbledintoadirtypuddle，andlo!myworksofartareruined!Wehadtotakethembackandchangetheirthings。Itookthelittleoneinmyarms，neverthinkingofmyowndress，whichwasruined，whileMaryseizedArmand，andthecavalcadere-entered。Withacryingbabyandasoakedchild，whatmindhasamotherleftforherself？
Dinnertimearrives，andasaruleIhavedonenothing。Nowcomestheproblemwhichfacesmetwiceeveryday——howtosufficeinmyownpersonfortwochildren，putontheirbibs，turnuptheirsleeves，andgetthemtoeat。Inthemidstoftheseever
后续内容为VIP可读请开通VIP，或购买此章节
