code: public function read($count, $strip_quotes = true)
      {
          $value = '';
  
          while($count > 0 && null != ($one = $this->readOne())) {
              $value .= $one;
              $count -= 1;
          }
  
          return $strip_quotes ? $this->stripQuotes($value) : $value;
      }
docs: Read $count characters, or until we have reached the end,
  whichever comes first.
  By default, remove enclosing double-quotes from the result.