# Miles Grendall — The Way We Live Now character guide

> Miles Grendall in The Way We Live Now by Anthony Trollope.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Miles, Grendall, Mr. Grendall

**First appearance:** 0002-iii-the-beargarden

## Snapshot

A disreputable young clubman and hanger-on at the Beargarden, intimate with the Melmotte establishment and useful for gossip about other people's disasters.

## Who they are

Grendall moves easily through the Beargarden's card rooms and the Melmotte household, a man whose chief currency is knowing things and being owed favours. He takes a secretary's post in the great railway office, where his presence signals how much of the scheme is performance rather than work. His honest indignation at being called a brute is comic, but his real function is to show how the fashionable world's hangers-on feed on the fortunes of men like Melmotte.

## In the story

### [After the Ball](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_way_we_live_now_se/chapters/v-after-the-ball)

Loses over £400 to Felix; expresses hostility and disputes the settlement terms.

### [Mr. Fisker's Success](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_way_we_live_now_se/chapters/x-mr-fisker-s-success)

Serves as secretary of the railway company's office.

### [Lord Nidderdale’s Morality](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_way_we_live_now_se/chapters/xxii-lord-nidderdale-s-morality)

Mentioned as owing gambling debts; Felix and Nidderdale consider pressing him for payment.

### [Miles Grendall's Triumph](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_way_we_live_now_se/chapters/xxiv-miles-grendall-s-triumph)

Wins heavily at loo, using his own worthless I.O.U.s to pay others while pocketing cash; Sir Felix suspects him of cheating.

### [Dolly Longestaffe Goes Into the City](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_way_we_live_now_se/chapters/xxviii-dolly-longestaffe-goes-into-the-city)

Accused by Felix of cheating at cards, but Dolly advises ignoring the matter.

### [Lady Monogram](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_way_we_live_now_se/chapters/xxxii-lady-monogram)

Attempts to patronize Georgiana, adding to her humiliation.

### [The Boardroom](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_way_we_live_now_se/chapters/xxxvii-the-boardroom)

Reads the board record poorly; Felix has detected him cheating at cards but has not exposed him.

### [The Coming Election](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_way_we_live_now_se/chapters/xliv-the-coming-election)

Assists his father in the campaign, noting his own burdens and questioning whether Melmotte's scheme will last.

### [Mr. Melmotte Is Pressed for Time](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_way_we_live_now_se/chapters/xlv-mr-melmotte-is-pressed-for-time)

Acts as intermediary, bringing word that Melmotte will see Paul Montague and cautioning him to be brief.

### [Father Barham Visits London](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_way_we_live_now_se/chapters/lvi-father-barham-visits-london)

Also present with Melmotte, tasked with overseeing the hall arrangements.

### [The Party](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_way_we_live_now_se/chapters/lxii-the-party)

Remains after the party on his father's advice, but shows reluctance and is scorned by Melmotte.

### [Melmotte in Parliament](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_way_we_live_now_se/chapters/lxix-melmotte-in-parliament)

Dines at the Beargarden and shares the news of Vossner's disappearance.

### [Hamilton K. Fisker Again](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_way_we_live_now_se/chapters/xcii-hamilton-k-fisker-again)

Summoned to London by Fisker, he obeys his father's advice to appear but say nothing.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_way_we_live_now_se/characters/miles_grendall
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_way_we_live_now_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_way_we_live_now_se/characters