Maximin appears among them ill of a fever. He dies after joining the hands of Periander and Auristella, now known as Persiles and Sigismunda.

So little certainty is there in all earthly joys, that no man can promise himself a moment of perfect security. Auristella repenting the declaration she had made of her wishes and intentions to Periander, now hastened to seek him out joyfully, believing that with her hand and her repentance all would come right, and according to his desire, for she believed herself to be the key of the wheel of his fortune, and the Polar star of all his hopes; nor was she deceived in this, for already had he brought himself to comply with her will. But mark the cheats of this ever changing fortune. In one short instant, as we have seen, she finds herself quite another thing from what she was of late. She meant to smile, and she weeps; she thought of happy life, and she is at the point of death; she expected to see Periander, and lo, in his place, his brother Maximin! who, with a number of equipages and a large retinue, now approaches, entering Rome by this, the Terracina road; and seeing the crowd of persons that surrounded the wounded Periander, he ordered his carriage to stop, that he might learn the cause. Serafido went to meet him, saying, "O Prince Maximin, I bring you evil tidings; yonder wounded man in the arms of that beautiful lady is your brother Persiles, and she is the peerless Sigismunda; after all your diligence you find them in a sad time and season, so that instead of rejoicings, you will only come to follow them to their grave."

"They will not go to it alone," answered Maximin; "but I shall bear them company. Accordingly I am come;" and, putting his head out of the carriage, he recognized his brother, although he was all covered with blood. He knew Sigismunda, too, although her face was pale as death, for the terror which had deprived it of colour had not altered the features. Sigismunda was all lovely before, but, if possible, she looked lovelier still in her sorrow, for, in some cases, grief only adds to beauty."

He left his carriage, and sunk into the arms of Sigismunda—Auristella no longer—but the queen of Friseland, and, in his imagination, queen of Tile also.

These strange events all came under the name of what is called fortune, which is but another name for the ordering of a heavenly Providence.

Maximin had set out for Rome, in the hope of finding better physicians to cure him of his disease than those he had at Terracina, and they had warned him that before he could reach Rome, he would be dead, more skilful and sagacious in this matter than in finding out how to cure him: it is true that his was an illness seldom cured.

And now before the great cathedral of St. Peter, in the midst of an open plain, has hideous death stepped forth to meet the young and beautiful Persiles, and threatens him with destruction, whilst to Maximin it gives a grave. He, finding himself near expiring, with his right hand takes Persiles' left in his own, and lifts it to his eyes, whilst in his left hand he takes Persiles' right and joins it with Sigismunda, saying, in a faint and feeble voice, and failing breath, "Your truth and virtue, my children, and my brother, I well know: open, O my brother, those closed lids of thine, and shut these eyes of mine in eternal sleep, and with thy other hand clasp that of Sigismunda, and seal therewith my gift and wish that she ............