On the other hand the Greek's dignity was offended now that he had been made to wait too long, for he was hasty by nature.
Once, in a fit of irritation with a Candiot who stammered out of sheer fright, the captain had ordered him to be hanged.

Having finished his nut, he stood up in the boat and stepped ashore.
"Knock again," he said to the boatman, who obeyed.
There was no answer this time.
"I can hear the fellow inside," said the boatman.
The grating was too high for a man to look through it from outside.
Aristarchi laid his knotty hands on the stone sill and pulled himself up till his face was against the grating.

He now looked in and saw the porter sitting in his chair.
"Have you taken my message to your master ?" inquired the Greek.
The porter looked up in surprise, which increased when he caught sight of the ferocious face of the speaker.

But he was not to be intimidated so easily.
"Messer Angelo is not to be disturbed at his studies," he said.

"If you wait till noon, perhaps he will come out to go to dinner." "Perhaps!" repeated Aristarchi, still hanging by his hands.