He thought he could meet the Dean.

A terrific enterprise, but he must accomplish it! After all, a Dean--what was it?
Nothing but a man with a funny hat! And was not he himself Priam Farll, the authentic Priam Farll, vastly greater than any Dean?
He told the valet to buy black gloves, and a silk hat, sized seven and a quarter, and to bring up a copy of _Who's Who_.

He hoped the valet would be dilatory in executing these commands.

But the valet seemed to fulfill them by magic.

Time flew so fast that (in a way of speaking) you could hardly see the fingers as they whirled round the clock.