# we copy the array here because fetch (currently) always
  # returns the same array ref. XXX

  if ($slice && @$slice) {
    
    # if called with [0]

    $max_rows = -1 unless defined $max_rows;
    push @rows, [ @{$row}[ @$slice] ]
      while($max_rows-- and $row = $sth->fetch);
  }
  elsif (defined $max_rows) {

    # if called with undef

    $max_rows = -1 unless defined $max_rows;
    push @rows, [ @$row ]
      while($max_rows-- and $row = $sth->fetch);
  }
  else {
    push @rows, [ @$row ] while($row = $sth->fetch);
  }