It was a bitter lesson, but it lasted him.

He began to understand the difference between romance and reality--between dreaming and doing.

It had been a hard, bitter, almost shameful, lesson, but he was thankful in after years that he had learned it.
He found, after a time, that the world was wiser than he thought.
"There is some story about Mr.Carruthers," people would say, but no one ever knew exactly what it was.

He remained in Rome for a whole week.
Before it was over he was quite cured of his liking for the queen of coquettes..