English for Everybody - Advanced reading comprehension

Dracula

Page 66

A Business Letter

 

This letter uses old-fashioned business English. If you are not sure of some expressions, check the Intermediate version)

Dear Sirs,
Please receive this invoice for goods sent by the Great Northern Railway. The goods leave by the train at 9:30 tonight, and will be at King's Cross Railway Station at 4:30 tomorrow afternoon. These are to be delivered to Carfax, near Purfleet, immediately on receipt at the Goods Station at King's Cross. The house is at present empty, but enclosed please find the keys, all of which are labelled.

You will please deposit the boxes, fifty in number, which form the consignment, in the partially ruined building forming part of the house and marked 'A' on the rough map enclosed. Your agent will easily recognize the locality, as it is the ancient chapel of the mansion. As our client wishes the delivery made as soon as possible, we shall be obliged by your having teams of horses ready at King's Cross at the time named and forthwith bringing the goods to their destination. In order to prevent any delays as to payment, we enclose a cheque for ten pounds, receipt of which please acknowledge. Should the charge be less than this amount, you can return the balance, if greater, we shall at once send a cheque for the difference.

You are to leave the keys on departure in the main hall of the house, where the proprietor may get them on his entering the house by means of his own key. Please do not take us as exceeding the bounds of business courtesy in pressing you in all ways to use the utmost expedition.

Yours Faithfully
Samuel F. Billington & Son

Vocabulary:

Invoice: Request for money for goods or services
Goods: Things traded
Enclosed: Also in the envelope
Deposit: Put
Consignment: Things sent
Be obliged: Want you to do
Forthwith: Immediately
The balance: What is left afterwards
Proprietor: Owner

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