To pretend to relate the manner in which Juam's ruler passed his
captive days, without making suitable mention of his harem, would be
to paint one's full-length likeness and omit the face. For it was his
harem that did much to stamp the character of Donjalolo.
And had he possessed but a single spouse, most discourteous, surely, to have overlooked the princess; much more, then, as it is; and by how-much the more, a plurality exceeds a unit.
Exclusive of the female attendants, by day waiting upon the person of
the king, he had wives thirty in number, corresponding in name to the
nights of the moon. For, in Juam, time is not reckoned by days, but
by nights; each night of the lunar month having its own designation; which, relatively only, is extended to the day.
In uniform succession, the thirty wives ruled queen of the king's
heart. An arrangement most wise and judicious; precluding much of
that jealousy and confusion prevalent in ill-regulated seraglios. For
as thirty spouses must be either more desirable, or less desirable
than one; so is a harem thirty times more difficult to manage than an
establishment with one solitary mistress. But Donjalolo's wives were
so nicely drilled, that for the most part, things went on very
smoothly. Nor were his brows much furrowed with wrinkles referable to
domestic cares and tribulations. Although, as in due time will be
seen, from these he was not altogether exempt.
Now, according to Braid-Beard, who, among other abstruse political
researches, had accurately informed himself concerning the internal
administration of Donjalolo's harem, the following was the method
pursued therein.
On the Aquella, or First Night of the month, the queen of that name
assumes her diadem, and reigns. So too with Azzolino the Second, and
Velluvi the Third Night of the Moon; and so on, even unto the utter
eclipse thereof; through Calends, Nones, and Ides.
For convenience, the king is furnished with a card, whereon are
copied the various ciphers upon the arms of his queens; and parallel
thereto, the hieroglyphics significant of the corresponding Nights of
the month. Glancing over this, Donjalolo predicts the true time of
the rising and setting of all his stars.
This Moon of wives was lodged in two spacious seraglios, which few
mortals beheld. For, so deeply were they buried in a grove; so
overpowered with verdure; so overrun with vines; and so hazy with the
incense of flowers; that they were almost invisible, unless closely
approached. Certain it was, that it demanded no small enterprise, diligence, and sagacity, to explore the mysterious wood in search of them. Though a strange, sweet, humming sound, as of the clustering and swarming of warm bees among roses, at last hinted the royal honey at hand. High in air, toward the summit of the cliff, overlooking this side of the glen, a narrow ledge of rocks might have been seen, from which, rumor whispered, was to be caught an angular peep at the tip of the apex of the roof of the nearest seraglio. But this wild report had never been established. Nor, indeed, was it susceptible of a test. For was not that rock inaccessible as the eyrie of young eagles? But to guard against the possibility of any visual profanation, Donjalolo had authorized an edict, forever tabooing that rock to foot of man or pinion of fowl. Birds and bipeds both trembled and obeyed; taking a wide circuit to avoid the spot.
Access to the seraglios was had by corresponding arbors leading from
the palace. The seraglio to the right was denominated "Ravi" (Before), that to the left "Zono" (After). The meaning of which was, that upon the termination of her reign the queen wended her way to the Zono; there tarrying with her predecessors till the Ravi was emptied; when the entire Moon of wives, swallow-like, migrated back whence they came; and the procession was gone over again.
In due order, the queens reposed upon mats inwoven with their
respective ciphers. In the Ravi, the mat of the queen-apparent, or
next in succession, was spread by the portal. In the Zono, the newly-widowed queen reposed furthest from it.
But alas for all method where thirty wives are concerned. Notwithstanding these excellent arrangements, the mature result of ages of progressive improvement in the economy of the royal seraglios in Willamilla, it must needs be related, that at times the order of precedence became confused, and was very hard to restore.