same style of
grandeur.

A long gallery was next; it was very dark, just light enough to show
that, instead of a wall on one side, there was a grating of iron which
parted off a dismal dungeon, whence issued the groans of those poor
victims whom the cruel giant reserved in confinement for his own
voracious appetite.

Poor Jack was half dead with fear, and would have given the world to
have been with his mother again, for he now began to fear that he should
never see her more, and gave himself up for lost; he even mistrusted the
giant's wife, and thought she had let him into the house for no other
purpose than to lock him up among the unfortunate people in the dungeon.

At the farther end of the gallery there was a spacious kitchen, and a
fire was burning in the grate. The good woman bade Jack sit down, and
gave him plenty to eat and drink. Jack, not seeing anything here to make
him uncomfortable, soon forgot his fear, and was beginning to enjoy
himself, when he was aroused by a loud knocking at the door, which made
the whole house shake; the giant's wife ran to secure him in the oven,
and then went to let her husband in.

Jack heard him accost her in a voice like thunder, saying--

"Wife, I smell fresh meat."

"Oh! my dear," replied she, "it is only the people in the dungeon."

The giant appeared to believe her and walked into the kitchen, where
poor Jack lay concealed, shaking with fear and trembling in every limb.

At last, the monster seated himself by the fireside, whilst his wife
prepared supper. By degrees Jack took courage to look at the giant
through a small crevice; he was quite astonished to see what an amazing
quantity he devoured, and thought he never would have done eating and
drinking. When supper was ended, the giant desired his wife to bring him
his hen, which was one of the curiosities he had stolen from the fairy.
A very beautiful hen was brought, and placed on the table before him.
Jack's curiosity was very great to see what would happen; he observed
that every time the giant said, "Lay!" the hen laid an egg of solid
gold.

The giant amused himself a long time with his hen; meanwhile his wife
went to bed. At length the giant fell asleep by the fireside, and
snored like the roaring of a cannon. At daybreak, Jack, finding the
giant still asleep, crept softly out of his hiding-place, seized the
hen, and ran off with her.

He easily found the way to the bean-stalk, and descended it more quickl