  We combine 9 ROSAT, 9 Chandra, and 2 XMM-Newton observations of the Cen~A
galaxy to obtain the X-ray light curve of 1RXH J132519.8-430312 (=CXOU
J132519.9$-$430317) spanning 1990 to 2003. The source reached a peak 0.1-2.4
keV flux F_X>10^{-12} ergs cm^{-2} s^{-1} during a 10~day span in 1995 July.
The inferred peak isotropic luminosity of the source therefore exceeded 3
10^{39} ergs s^{-1}, which places the source in the class of ultra-luminous
X-ray sources. Coherent pulsations at 13.264 Hz are detected during a second
bright episode (F_X >3 times 10^{-13} ergs cm^{-2} s^{-1}) in 1999 December.
The source is detected and varies significantly within three additional
observations but is below the detection threshold in 7 observations. The X-ray
spectrum in 1999 December is best described as a cut-off power law or a
disk-blackbody (multi-colored disk). We also detect an optical source, m_F555W
~ 24.1 mag, within the Chandra error circle of 1RXH J132519.8-430312 in HST
images taken 195~days before the nearest X-ray observation. The optical
brightness of this source is consistent with a late O or early B star at the
distance of Cen A. If the optical source is the counterpart, then the X-ray and
optical behavior of 1RXH J132519.8-430312 are similar to the transient Be/X-ray
pulsar A 0538-66.

Astrophysics