But there was no reason for fear.
The cats were most amiably disposed.
"Mew!" said the one on the right-hand chair.
"Mew!" said the one on the left-hand chair.
Then they looked at each other for a moment, and at last, seeming to have made up their minds, each held out his right paw.

Something in the way they did it reminded Hugh and Jeanne of Dudu when he stood on one leg, and stuck out the other like a walking-stick.
"Mew!" they said again, both together this time.

And then in a clear, though rather mewey voice, the right-hand cat spoke to the children.
"Madame is expecting you," he said.
The children did not know what else to say, so they said, "Thank you." "She has been waiting a good while," said the left-hand cat.
"I'm very sorry to have kept her waiting," said Hugh, feeling Jeanne nudge him.

"I hope she has not been waiting very long ?" "Oh no," said the right-hand cat, "not long; not above three hundred years." Jeanne gave a start of astonishment.
"Three hundred----" "years," she was going to say, but the left-hand cat interrupted her.
"You are not to be surprised," he said, very hastily, and Jeanne could not quite make out if he was frightened or angry, or a little of both.
"You must not _think_ of being surprised.

Nobody is ever surprised here." "No one is ever surprised here," repeated the right-hand cat.