The Merchant of Venice: Act 4, Scene 2
1. deed: i.e., the deed of gift.
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.