This account greatly terrified Jack, but still he hoped to elude the giant, and therefore he again entreated the woman to take him in for one night only, and hide him where she thought proper.  The good woman at last suffered herself to be persuaded, for she was of a compassionate and generous disposition, and took him into the house.  First, they entered a fine large hall, magnificently furnished; they then passed through several spacious rooms, all in the same style of grandeur; but they appeared to be quite forsaken and desolate.  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, from 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 good woman, 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 very excellent fire was burning in the grate.  The good woman bid Jack sit down, and gave him plenty to eat and drink.  Jack, not seeing any thing here to make him uncomfortable, soon forgot his fear, and was just beginning to enjoy himself, when he was aroused by a loud knocking at the street-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 nothing but the people in the dungeon.”  The giant appeared to believe her, and walked into the very kitchen where poor Jack was concealed, who shook, trembled, and was more terrified than he had yet been.  At last, the monster seated himself quietly by the fire-side, whilst his wife prepared supper.  By degrees Jack recovered himself sufficiently 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.  A very beautiful hen was then 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 fire-side, and snored like the roaring of a cannon.