I + 

Dorking, Surrey, July 30th, 1849. + 

To Franklin Blake, Esq. Sir⁠—I beg to apologise for the delay that has occurred in the production of the report, with which I engaged to furnish you. I have waited to make it a complete report; and I have been met, here and there, by obstacles which it was only possible to remove by some little expenditure of patience and time. + 

The object which I proposed to myself has now, I hope, been attained. You will find, in these pages, answers to the greater part⁠—if not all⁠—of the questions, concerning the late Mr. Godfrey Ablewhite, which occurred to your mind when I last had the honour of seeing you. + 

I propose to tell you⁠—in the first place⁠—what is known of the manner in which your cousin met his death; appending to the statement such inferences and conclusions as we are justified (according to my opinion) in drawing from the facts. + 

I shall then endeavour⁠—in the second place⁠—to put you in possession of such discoveries as I have made, respecting the proceedings of Mr. Godfrey Ablewhite, before, during and after the time, when you and he met as guests at the late Lady Verinder’s country-house. + 