done whoredoms against her husband.
Therewithal Spes prayed the bishop to make out a divorce betwixt her
and her husband Sigurd, because she said she might nowise bear his
slanderous lying charges. Her kinsfolk pushed the matter forward for
her, and so brought it about by their urgency that they were divorced,
and Sigurd got little of the goods, and was driven away from the land
withal, for here matters went as is oft shown that they will, and
<i>the lower must lowt</i>; nor could he bring aught about to avail
him, though he had but said the very sooth.

Now Spes took to her all their money, and was deemed the greatest of
stirring women; but when folk looked into her oath, it seemed to them
that there was some guile in it, and were of a mind that wise men must
have taught her that way of swearing; and men dug out this withal,
that the staff-carle who had carried her was even Thorstein Dromund.
Yet for all that Sigurd got no righting of the matter.

CHAP. XCIII.

<i>Thorstein and Spes come out to Norway</i>.

Thorstein Dromund was with the Varangians while the talk ran highest
about these matters; so famed did he become that it was deemed that
scarce had any man of the like prowess come thither; the greatest
honours he gat from Harald Sigurdson, for he was of his kin; and after
his counsels did Thorstein do, as men are minded to think.

But a little after Sigurd was driven from the land, Thorstein fell to
wooing Spes to wife, and she took it meetly, but went to her kinsmen
for rede; then they held meetings thereon, and were of one accord that
she herself must rule the matter; then was the bargain struck, and
good was their wedded life, and they were rich in money, and all men
deemed Thorstein to be a man of exceeding good luck, since he had
delivered himself from all his troubles.

The twain were together for two winters in Micklegarth, and then
Thorstein said to his goodwife that he would fain go back to see his
possessions in Norway. She said he should have his will, so they sold
the lands they had there, and gat them great wealth of chattels, and
then betook them from that land, with a fair company, and went all the
way till they came to Norway. Thorstein's kin welcomed them both right
heartily, and soon saw that Spes was bountiful and high-minded, and
she speedily became exceeding well befriended. Some children they had
between them, and they abode on their lands, and were well content
with their life