Funny, I was reading this part imagining your reaction! I had to laugh, too, at this (unintentionallly) humorous line, which follows the discussion of the hand! the giant! the hand!:

"What! my lord, cried Bianca, do you think I have seen nothing? Go to the foot of the great stairs yourself..."

I dunno, seemed funny at the time...go to the foot to see the hand...I had this whole slapstick routine worked out.