code: def read_array(self, key, start=None, stop=None):
          
          import tables
          node = getattr(self.group, key)
          attrs = node._v_attrs
  
          transposed = getattr(attrs, 'transposed', False)
  
          if isinstance(node, tables.VLArray):
              ret = node[0][start:stop]
          else:
              dtype = getattr(attrs, 'value_type', None)
              shape = getattr(attrs, 'shape', None)
  
              if shape is not None:
                  # length 0 axis
                  ret = np.empty(shape, dtype=dtype)
              else:
                  ret = node[start:stop]
  
              if dtype == 'datetime64':
  
                  # reconstruct a timezone if indicated
                  ret = _set_tz(ret, getattr(attrs, 'tz', None), coerce=True)
  
              elif dtype == 'timedelta64':
                  ret = np.asarray(ret, dtype='m8[ns]')
  
          if transposed:
              return ret.T
          else:
              return ret
docs: read an array for the specified node (off of group