The Merchant of Venice: Act 4, Scene 2
Enter PORTIA and NERISSA.
PORTIA
1
Inquire the Jew's house out, give him this deed
2
And let him sign it: we'll away tonight
3
And be a day before our husbands home:
4
This deed will be well welcome to Lorenzo.
Enter GRATIANO.
GRATIANO
5
Fair sir, you are well o'erta'en
6. more advice: further consideration.
6
My Lord Bassanio upon more advice
7
Hath sent you here this ring, and doth entreat
8
Your company at dinner.
PORTIA
8
That cannot be:
9
His ring I do accept most thankfully:
10
And so, I pray you, tell him: furthermore,
11
I pray you, show my youth old Shylock's house.
GRATIANO
12
That will I do.
NERISSA
12
Sir, I would speak with you.
[Aside to PORTIA.]
13
I'll see if I can get my husband's ring,
14
Which I did make him swear to keep for ever.
PORTIA [Aside to NERISSA.]
15. old: predictable. A form of this colloquialism survives today (C.E. 2016) in the phrase "good old boy."
15
Thou mayst, I warrant. We shall have old swearing
16
That they did give the rings away to men;
17
But we'll outface them, and outswear them too.
[Aloud.]
18
Away! make haste: thou knowist where I will tarry.
NERISSA
19
Come, good sir, will you show me to this house?
Exeunt.