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The Grettir's Saga on Spes

The Saga Of Grettir The Strong > Chapter Lxxxvii. The Lady Spes

attestation: A distinguished wealthy lady named Spes was married to a man named Sigurd who was of lower birth than she

"There was a very distinguished lady in that town, the owner of a large establishment, very rich and highly born. Her name was Spes. Her husband's name was Sigurd; he too was wealthy, but of lower birth than she was."
attestation: There was little love between Spes and Sigurd, as she had been married to him for his money

"She had been married to him for his money. There was not much love between them"

attestation: Spes kept Thorsteinn well supplied with money and they became very attached to each other

"Spes kept him well supplied with money, and they became very much attached to one another."
attestation: Spes concealed Thorsteinn under a pile of garments and leaned against the heap as the searchers entered

"she covered Thorsteinn up with a bundle of clothes and leaned against the heap when they entered."
attribution: Spes demanded Sigurd free her from the slanderous accusation or let her undergo formal compurgation

""Now, my husband, will you admit your folly and free me from this slanderous accusation?""
attestation: Spes's house was built on the edge of the sea with rooms under which the water flowed, containing a secret trapdoor

"Her house was built on the very edge of the sea and there were some of the rooms under which the sea flowed.

Here it was that Spes and Thorsteinn always sat. There was a small trap-door in the floor, known to no one but these two"

attestation: On a third occasion Sigurd burst in and Spes told Thorsteinn to escape through the trapdoor into the sea below

"On hearing the noise Spes said to Thorsteinn: "You must go down here whatever it costs.""
attestation: Spes closed the trapdoor with her foot so skillfully that the floor showed no mark of having been disturbed

"The lady closed the trap-door with her foot, and it fell back into its place so that no one could see any mark of the floor having been touched."
attribution: Spes quoted the proverb 'All good things are in threes' to mock her husband's three failed searches

""Now we may say as the proverb has it: All good things are in threes. This is your case, Sigurd.""

attestation: Spes prepared to take an oath of innocence at a church ceremony with all her friends and relations present

"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"
attribution: Spes declared she paid no heed to Sigurd's accusations and demanded to know who the man was he claimed to have seen

""I pay no heed to your accusation," she said; "but I want to know what man it was whom you pretend to have seen in the room with me""
attribution: Spes swore that no man had given her money and that no man except her husband and the beggar had touched her

""But this I will swear, that to no man have I given money and that by no man"

attribution: Spes urged Thorsteinn not to serve King Harald but to pay a larger debt to God, as their youth had passed

""I would not, Thorsteinn, that you go to Harald, for a larger debt remains unpaid to another King, whereto we must now turn our thoughts. Our youth is now passed""