“At the same time,” he said, “you will have to deny that you have expended my money and my property.”

She replied:  “At the time when I clear myself I will refute all the matters which you brought against me, and you may consider how it will all end.  I mean to go at once, to-morrow morning, before the bishop that he may grant me full compurgation from this charge.”

Her husband was satisfied with this and went away with his men.

In the meantime Thorsteinn had swum away from the house and landed at a convenient place, where he got a firebrand and held it aloft so that it could be seen from the lady’s house.  She stayed long outside in the evening and the night, for she was anxious to know whether Thorsteinn had reached the land.  When she saw the light she knew that he had landed, for that was the signal which they had agreed upon.

The next morning Spes proposed to her husband that they should speak with the bishop on their matter.  This he was quite ready to do, so they went before the bishop and Sigurd repeated his accusation.  The bishop asked whether she had ever been accused of misbehaviour before, but nobody had heard of such a thing.  Then he asked upon what evidence this charge was brought against her, and Sigurd produced the men who had seen her sitting in a room with the door locked and a man with her.  Her husband said that this was ground enough for supposing that the man meant to seduce her.

The bishop said that she might very well purge herself from this accusation if she so desired.  She replied that she desired it very much.  “I hope,” she said, “that I shall have many women to swear for me on this charge.”

The form of the oath which she was to swear was then communicated to her and the day for the compurgation fixed.  She returned home and was quite happy.  She and Thorsteinn met and laid their plans.

ENDNOTES: 

(1) The same Harald who, as King of Norway, would later
     challenge King Harald I for the throne of England.  He lost
     at the Battle of Stamford Bridge—­three weeks before
     Hastings (A.D. 1066).

CHAPTER LXXXIX

THE ORDEAL

The day now arrived when Spes was to make oath.  She invited all her friends and relations, and appeared in the finest clothes that she possessed, with many a fine lady in her train.  It was raining heavily and the roads were flooded; on the way to the church there was a swamp to be passed.  When Spes came with her company to the swamp there was a great crowd on the high road, and a multitude of poor people asking for alms, for all who knew her thought it a duty to give her a greeting and wish her well because of the kindnesses which they had often received from her.

Amongst these poor people there was a beggar very large of stature and with a long beard.  The women halted at the swamp; being people of high rank they did not like to cross the dirty slough.  The big beggar, seeing that Spes was better dressed than the other ladies, said to her:  “Good lady, have the condescension to allow me to carry you over the swamp.  It is the duty of us gaberlunzies to serve you in whatever way we can.”