The Merchant of Venice Act 4 Scene 2
Venice. A street.
The Original
Plain Modern English
Enter Portia and Nerissa, still in disguise.
Portia
Inquire the Jew's house out; give him this deed
And let him sign it. We'll away tonight,
And be a day before our husbands home.
This deed will be well welcome to Lorenzo.
Portia
Find out where the Jew lives and give him this deed
to sign. (giving Nerissa a paper) We'll be away tonight
and home a day ahead of our husbands.
This deed will be very welcome to Lorenzo. (Her first words after saving a man's life are an errand: get the paper signed that hands Shylock's estate to the man who took his daughter. The trial ended a dozen lines ago.)
Enter Gratiano.
Gratiano
Fair sir, you are well o'erta'en.
My Lord Bassanio, upon more advice,
Hath sent you here this ring, and doth entreat
Your company at dinner.
Gratiano
Well caught up with, sir.
My Lord Bassanio, on further thought,
has sent you this ring, and asks for
your company at dinner. (giving her a ring)
Portia
That cannot be.
His ring I do accept most thankfully,
And so I pray you tell him. Furthermore,
I pray you show my youth old Shylock's house.
Portia
That isn't possible.
I accept his ring most gratefully,
and please tell him so. And one more thing —
please show my young clerk where old Shylock lives.
Gratiano
That will I do.
Gratiano
I'll do that.
Nerissa
Sir, I would speak with you.
I'll see if I can get my husband's ring,
Which I did make him swear to keep forever.
Nerissa
A word with you, sir.
(aside to Portia) I'll see if I can get my husband's ring off him —
the one I made him swear to keep for ever.
Portia
Thou mayst, I warrant! We shall have old swearing
That they did give the rings away to men;
But we'll outface them, and outswear them, too.—
Away, make haste! Thou know'st where I will tarry.
Portia
(aside to Nerissa) You will, I guarantee it. There'll be some fine swearing
that they gave the rings away to men —
but we'll outstare them and out-swear them. — (Which is true: they did give the rings to men. The whole comedy of the last act rests on a fact the wives will deny while knowing it, in an argument they have rigged in advance.)
Off you go, hurry. You know where I'll be waiting.
She exits.
Nerissa
Come, good sir, will you show me to this house?
Nerissa
Come along, sir — will you show me to this house?
They exit.