at Rabbi Isaschar accepted the infant as his own. From his
mother Joseph Suess inherited marvellous personal beauty, and from both
his parents his musical gift. From the mother too, if we are to believe
all the tales, he received a nature of abnormal, passionate sensuality.

At an early age Suess was sent to his relatives in Vienna, the famous
bankers Oppenheimer. Here the boy was reared in splendour and refinement,
and instructed in the intricacies of banking, usury--in short, in
finance. He repaired occasionally to his family in Frankfort, halting on
the road to visit an aged relation in Stuttgart, Frau Widow Hazzim, at
whose house in the Judengasse he made the acquaintance of Wilhelmine von
Graevenitz.

Suess matured early, and became, not a musician as he had boasted in his
childhood, but a very capable financier. He fell in with Duke Karl
Alexander of Wirtemberg during a sojourn at Wildbad. His Highness sought
a secretary and treasurer, and he was immediately captivated by the young
Jew's personal beauty, his fascination, his vivid intelligence, and
knowledge of business. The Duchess was interested, attracted, and
delighted in Suess's music and the haunting charm of those ancient Hebrew
melodies which his father, Rabbi Isaschar, had taught him. Suess was taken
into his Highness's service, and when Karl Alexander succeeded his cousin
Eberhard Ludwig in the Dukedom of Wirtemberg, the Jew accompanied his
patron to Ludwigsburg and Stuttgart. He was made Minister of Finance and
became, in reality, ruler of the court, for the Duke gave over everything
to his trusted favourite. The treasury was exhausted by the Graevenitz's
magnificence, and Suess set to work to replenish the empty chests.

It would be too long to recount here the endless money-raising schemes
which were put in motion by Suess; suffice it to say, that never had
Wirtemberg been so squeezed even in the time of Eberhard Ludwig. But if
Suess procured vast sums, he spent them as readily. The festivities at
Ludwigsburg were more opulently splendid and more numerous than ever, and
the Duke had six mistresses and a favourite to enrich instead of one
Land-despoiler! Suess lived like a prince--and a very lavish prince at
that--and the money, of course, came from the Duke's treasury. Now
Michaele's heritage became noticeable; if the Duke had six mistresses
Suess had sixty. No woman could resist him; they said he was so gloriously
handsome, so witty, so 'differing f