The count now saw that the man was an Arabian, and repeated the question in that tongue.
"I am a poor man," the stranger submissively replied.
"How did you get to the ship?"
The Arabian was silent.
Monte-Cristo looked at the man again, and soon comprehended that the man was a hypocrite and an impostor.
Either the man was poor and had no money to go back to his home or else he was a spy.
"You were in France?" the count suddenly said to the Arabian; "how did you get there?"
"In one of the ships of your nation."
"How long ago is that?"
"Woe to him who counts the days and hours."