lth she brought it about that both of them were released. Directly
Thorsteinn came out of the dungeon he went to pay his respects to the
lady Spes. She welcomed him and kept him there secretly. From time to
time he went campaigning with the Varangians, and was distinguished for
his courage in all their engagements.

CHAPTER LXXXVIII. ADVENTURES OF THORSTEINN AND SPES

At that time Harald the son of Sigurd [3] was in Constantinople, and
Thorsteinn became friendly with him. Thorsteinn was now a very great
personage, for Spes kept him well supplied with money, and they became
very much attached to one another. She was a great admirer of his skill.
Her expenses were very great because she tried to keep up many friends.
Her husband noticed a great change in her character and her behaviour,
and especially that she had become very extravagant. Treasures of gold
and other property which were in her keeping disappeared. One day her
husband Sigurd spoke with her and said that he was much surprised at her
conduct. "You pay no attention to our affairs," he said, "and squander
money in many ways. You seem as if you were in a dream, and never wish
to be where I am. I am certain that something is going on."

She replied: "I told you as I told my kinsmen when we married that I
meant to be my own mistress in all matters which concern myself; that is
why I do not spare your money. Or is there anything more than this that
you wish to speak about with me? Do you accuse me of anything shameful?"

He said: "I am not without my suspicions that you are keeping some man
whom you prefer to me."

"I do not know," she said, "that there would be very much in that; and
yet of a surety there is no truth in what you say. I will not speak with
you alone if you bring such improper accusations against me."

He dropped the subject for the time. She and Thorsteinn continued to
carry on as before, and were not very heedful of the talk of evil-minded
people; they relied upon her wits and her popularity. They were often
sitting together and diverting themselves.

One evening when they were sitting in an upper room in which her
treasures were kept she asked Thorsteinn to sing something, and thinking
that her husband was as usual sitting at drink she fastened the door.
When he had sung for a time there was a banging at the door, and some
one called to them to open it. It was her husband with a number of his
followers. The lady had opened a large c