Watch his colleague from Rhodes. He is working. The shaft of his spade bends under the load. That could be because of the inferior make but his posture proves that this is real: the digging is hard work.
Back to the impostor. He gently probes the heap for 'I wish I knew what'. He doesn't risk any back-ache and certainly no worn-out knees. He probably did study Bartolomeo's safety sheet rather too closely.