/**
         * Reads a line from a file, returning null on EOF.
         */
        public StringValue readLine(long length)

        {
            try {
                StringValue line = _lineReader.readLine(_env, this, length);

                return(line);
            } catch (IOException e) {
                _isTimeout = true;
                _isEOF     = true;

                log.log(Level.FINER, e.ToString(), e);

                return(_env.getEmptyString());
            }
        }
        /**
         * Reads a line from a file, returning null on EOF.
         */
        public StringValue readLine(long length)

        {
            return(_lineReader.readLine(_env, this, length));
        }