It happened one day as he was going out of the house, that a Portuguese fell at Periander's feet: calling him by his name, and embracing his knees, he cried, "By what good fortune, my lord Periander, do I see you here? Be not surprised that I call you by your name, for I am one of the twenty who were set at liberty in the conflagration of the barbarous isle, where you also was a prisoner. I was present at the death of Manuel de Souza Coutiño, the Portuguese gentleman; I partook with you and yours of the shelter of the inn, at the time when Maurice and Ladislaus arrived in search of Transila, the wife of one, and daughter of the other; my good fortune brought me home to my own country, where I told the story of the poor lover's death, to his relations, and they would have believed me, even if I had not seen it with my own eyes: it is a not uncommon thing for the Portuguese to die of love. A brother who inherited his property had his obsequies performed; and in a chapel belonging to his family he had a tomb of white marble erected, as if he was buried beneath, and thereon an epitaph, which I hope you will all come and see, for I think you will be pleased with it." Periander knew well by all he said that the man spoke the truth, although he could not recollect ever having seen his face; however, they went to the church of which he spoke, and saw the chapel and the tomb, upon which was engraven in the Portuguese language this epitaph, which, read by Antonio the father, in Castilian, ran thus:-- To the Memory of the deceased MANUEL DE SOUZA COUTIÑO, A PORTUGUESE GENTLEMAN, Who, had he not been Portuguese, might still be living. He died, not by any Castilian hand, but by that of all powerful Love. PASSENGER, If you knew the history of his life, you would think his death a blessing. Periander thought the Portuguese had good reason to praise the epitaph, in the composition of which that nation have great skill. Auristella asked him, how the nun, that the deceased loved, had felt when she heard of her lover's death. "A few days after she heard of it," he replied, "she passed into a better world; whether owing to the austerities of her way of life, or to the news of the unexpected event, was never known."