if (tableSize <= BYTE_MAX_SIZE) {
      /*
       * Use 8 bits per entry. The value is unsigned to allow use up to a size of 2^8.
       *
       * The absent indicator of -1 signed becomes 2^8 - 1 unsigned, which reduces the actual max
       * size to 2^8 - 1. However, due to a load factor < 1 the limit is never approached.
       */
      byte[] hashTable = new byte[tableSize];