# Horvendile — The Cream of the Jest character guide > Horvendile in The Cream of the Jest by James Branch Cabell. **Role:** major **Also known as:** Gravely Horvendile, brave Horvendile **First appearance:** 0003-i-palliation-of-the-gambit ## Snapshot A half-scoffing clerk in the world of Storisende who serves Ettarre and Guiron with shrewd devices while hopelessly loving a lady he knows he can never win. ## Who they are Horvendile is the witty, faintly blasphemous servant whose quick wits have rescued Ettarre from Maugis d'Aigremont and whose clear-eyed mockery unsettles the chivalric certainties around him. He loves Ettarre hopelessly and confesses it with a shrug, arguing that love must aim at something not quite accessible; his envy of the immaculate Guiron curdles into a weary sense that he is watching a romance close its last page. He matters because his restlessness and his longing for a life that employs every faculty mirror Kennaston's own, and the half-sigil Ettarre gives him at parting is the hinge between the two worlds. ## Relationships ### [Maugis d'Aigremont](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cream_of_the_jest_se/characters/maugis_d_aigremont) _friendship_ Horvendile and Maugis are close companions within the dream-world narrative, sharing adventures and mutual trust. ### [La Beale Ettarre](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cream_of_the_jest_se/characters/la_beale_ettarre) _romantic_ Horvendile is a chivalric admirer of La Beale Ettarre, bound by courtly love and devotion. ### [Adam](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cream_of_the_jest_se/characters/adam) _friendship_ Adam is a loyal servant or companion to Horvendile in the dream realm. ### [Felix Kennaston](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cream_of_the_jest_se/characters/felix_kennaston) _psychological_ Horvendile is Felix's dream-self or alter ego, embodying his creative and heroic fantasies. ### [La Beale Ettarre](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cream_of_the_jest_se/characters/la_beale_ettarre) _romantic_ Horvendile is a chivalric admirer of La Beale Ettarre, bound by courtly love and devotion. ### [Adam](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cream_of_the_jest_se/characters/adam) _friendship_ Adam is a loyal servant or companion to Horvendile in the dream realm. ### [Maugis d'Aigremont](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cream_of_the_jest_se/characters/maugis_d_aigremont) _friendship_ Horvendile and Maugis are close companions within the dream-world narrative, sharing adventures and mutual trust. ### [Maugis d'Aigremont](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cream_of_the_jest_se/characters/maugis_d_aigremont) _friendship_ Horvendile and Maugis are close companions within the dream-world narrative, sharing adventures and mutual trust. ### [La Beale Ettarre](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cream_of_the_jest_se/characters/la_beale_ettarre) _romantic_ Horvendile is a chivalric admirer of La Beale Ettarre, bound by courtly love and devotion. ### [Felix Kennaston](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cream_of_the_jest_se/characters/felix_kennaston) _psychological_ Horvendile is Felix's dream-self or alter ego, embodying his creative and heroic fantasies. ## In the story ### [II: Introduces the Ageless Woman](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cream_of_the_jest_se/chapters/ii-introduces-the-ageless-woman) The clerk, hopelessly in love with Ettarre. Delivers a speech on love and illusion, identifying her with legendary figures like Calypso, Antigonê, and Medeia. ### [III: Wherein a Clerk Appraises a Fair Country](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cream_of_the_jest_se/chapters/iii-wherein-a-clerk-appraises-a-fair-country) The clerk who appraises the fair country from Storisende's turrets, recites a love lament, and resolves to renounce love. ### [Of the Double-Dealer’s Traffic with a Knave](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cream_of_the_jest_se/chapters/iv-of-the-double-dealer-s-traffic-with-a-knave) Visits Maugis to propose a treacherous plan, acting as a double-dealer. ### [V: How the Double-Dealer Was of Two Minds](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cream_of_the_jest_se/chapters/v-how-the-double-dealer-was-of-two-minds) Betrays Storisende by admitting Maugis, acts as a puppet-shifter, and claims the power to decide the outcome. ### [VI: Treats of Maugis d’Aigremont’s Pottage](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cream_of_the_jest_se/chapters/vi-treats-of-maugis-d-aigremont-s-pottage) Reveals his manipulation of Maugis and declares Maugis must die; appears as a 'frozen madman' to Ettarre. ### [VII: Journey's End: With the Customary Unmasking](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cream_of_the_jest_se/chapters/vii-journey-s-end-with-the-customary-unmasking) Reveals himself as the writer who created the romance, confesses his love for Ettarre, and departs Storisende forever. ### [VIII: Of a Trifle Found in Twilight](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cream_of_the_jest_se/chapters/viii-of-a-trifle-found-in-twilight) Kennaston imagines Horvendile walking out of Storisende carrying a bauble similar to the one he has just found; Horvendile is the name Kennaston regrets he must not bear in his own country. ### [IX: Beyond Use and Wont Fares the Road to Storisende](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cream_of_the_jest_se/chapters/ix-beyond-use-and-wont-fares-the-road-to-storisende) The fictitious first writer of the chronicle; Kennaston lives his life while writing, blending his existence with Horvendile's. ### [XI: How There Was a Light in the Fog](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cream_of_the_jest_se/chapters/xi-how-there-was-a-light-in-the-fog) Ettarre calls Kennaston 'Horvendile' in the dream, though the name means nothing to her. ### [XIV: Peculiar Conduct of a Personage](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cream_of_the_jest_se/chapters/xiv-peculiar-conduct-of-a-personage) Not directly present in this chapter. ### [XV: Of Vain Regret and Wonder in the Dark](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cream_of_the_jest_se/chapters/xv-of-vain-regret-and-wonder-in-the-dark) Recognized by Ettarre in the dream; she exclaims they are having the same dream again. ### [XVI: They Come to a High Place](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cream_of_the_jest_se/chapters/xvi-they-come-to-a-high-place) Mentioned as having stood with Ettarre at Storisende, and Kennaston is addressed as Horvendile by Ettarre. ### [XVIII: Treats of a Prelate and, in Part, of Pigeons](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cream_of_the_jest_se/chapters/xviii-treats-of-a-prelate-and-in-part-of-pigeons) Referenced indirectly as the 'famous personage' who spoke to Kennaston about the sigil and white pigeons. ### [XIX: Local Laws of Nephelococcygia](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cream_of_the_jest_se/chapters/xix-local-laws-of-nephelococcygia) Kennaston's dream identity, a tall lean youngster with red hair, who interacts with Ettarre in various historical settings. ### [XXII: Of Truisms: Treated Reasonably](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cream_of_the_jest_se/chapters/xxii-of-truisms-treated-reasonably) Kennaston experiences passions and emotions in Horvendile's person during his dreams. ### [Book Fourth](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cream_of_the_jest_se/chapters/book-fourth) Reveals himself as the creator of the dream, challenging Kennaston's understanding of reality. ### [Deals with Pen Scratches](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cream_of_the_jest_se/chapters/xxiv-deals-with-pen-scratches) Present at the burning of the library, witnessing the obliteration of works by Agathon, Ion, and others. ### [XXVI: “Epper Si Muove”](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cream_of_the_jest_se/chapters/xxvi-epper-si-muove) Mentioned as the dream-weaver who deals with ordinary people in dreams. ### [XXXI: Horvendile to Ettarre: At Whitehall](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cream_of_the_jest_se/chapters/xxxi-horvendile-to-ettarre-at-whitehall) Kennaston's dream persona, engaged in dialogue with Ettarre and Cromwell. ### [XXXII: Horvendile to Ettarre: At Vaux-le-Vicomte](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cream_of_the_jest_se/chapters/xxxii-horvendile-to-ettarre-at-vaux-le-vicomte) Narrates the scene at Vaux-le-Vicomte, commenting on the guests, the play, and his unrequited love for Ettarre. ### [Horvendile to Ettarre: In the Conciergerie](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cream_of_the_jest_se/chapters/xxxiii-horvendile-to-ettarre-in-the-conciergerie) Confesses his lifelong search for Ettarre and his disillusionment with earthly women. ### [Sundry Disclosures of the Press](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cream_of_the_jest_se/chapters/xxxvi-sundry-disclosures-of-the-press) Mentioned as the dream figure freed by Kennaston's nightly use of the sigil, and as a possible aspect of Kennaston himself. ### [Considerations Toward Sunset](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cream_of_the_jest_se/chapters/xxxvii-considerations-toward-sunset) Mentioned in connection with the twilight when he left Storisende. ### [One Way of Elusion](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cream_of_the_jest_se/chapters/xxxviii-one-way-of-elusion) Referenced as the dream counterpart of Kennaston, whose connection to Ettarre is severed by Kathleen's denial. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cream_of_the_jest_se/characters/horvendile - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cream_of_the_jest_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_cream_of_the_jest_se/characters