The Ladies of Grace Adieu 是这本书收录的8个短篇中的第一篇,源自《乔》一书中第43章的脚注:
*At the time of Strange and Arabella's marriage Henry had been Rector of Grace Adieu in Gloucestershire. While there he had conceived a wish to marry a young lady of the village, a Miss Parbringer. But Strange had not approved the young lady or her friends. The living of Great Hitherden had happened to fall vacant at this time and so Strange persuaded Sir Walter Pole, in whose gift it lay, to appoint Henry. Henry had been delighted. Great Hitherden was a much larger place than Grace Adieu and he soon forgot the unsuitable young lady.
The Ladies of Grace Adieu 讲的就是住在格雷斯奥都村三个年轻女人卡桑德拉 帕博林格小姐,托比亚丝小姐,以及菲尔德女士。她们对魔法很感兴趣,也曾有幸在斯特兰奇来看望亨利的时候遇到过他。然而她们的这股热情并未得到斯特兰奇的垂青,女魔法师的研究在当时被看作是非学院派,被人看不起。因此这个故事的结局便是……