How can I READ an existing profile's "ProfileObjectPermission" using the metadata api?

I can see that I can UPDATE it with code something like that shown below, but it's very hard to update a profile if I can't read it in the first place.

Do I really have to get it file the file-based api and parse the XML myself?

Thanks

Kerry 

PS: Here's the code to update a profile -- but what does the code to read it look like?

// Set permissions for a table

ProfileObjectPermissions pop = new ProfileObjectPermissions();

pop.setAllowCreate(true);

...

pop.setTable("Sometable__c");

// Connect the permissions to a profile