Mel. Seest thou these ebbing sands?
They run for thee, and when their race is run,
Thy lungs, the bellows of thy mortal breath,
Shall sink for ever down, and heave no more.
Mal. What, resty, fiend?
Nine years thou hast to serve.
Mel. Not full nine minutes.
Mal. Thou liest; look on thy bond, and view the date.
Mel. Then, wilt thou stand to that without appeal?
Mal.. I will, so help me heaven!
Mel. So take thee hell.[Gives him the bond.
There, fool; behold who lies, the devil, or thou?
Mal. Ha! one-and-twenty years are shrunk to twelve!
Do my eyes dazzle?
Mel. No, they see too true:
109 They dazzled once, I cast a mist before them,
So what was figured twelve, to thy dull sight
Appeared full twenty-one.
Mal. There's equity in heaven for this, a cheat.