it incumbent upon her at present, to deny herself the only pleasure she
could taste, in bestowing that money which to her was superfluous, upon
those who received it as the prolongation of their existence.

A firmness so deliberate in a system he so much dreaded, greatly
shocked Mr Monckton, though it intimidated him from opposing it; he saw
she was too earnest, and too well satisfied she was right, to venture
giving her disgust by controverting her arguments; the conversation,
therefore, ended with new discontent to himself, and with an impression
upon the mind of Cecilia, that though he was zealous and friendly, he
was somewhat too worldly and suspicious.

She went on, therefore, as before, distributing with a lavish hand all
she could spare from her own household; careful of nothing but of
guarding against imposition, which, though she sometimes unavoidably
endured, her discernment, and the activity of her investigating
diligence, saved her from suffering frequently. And the steadiness with
which she repulsed those whom she detected in deceit, was a check upon
tricks and fraud, though it could not wholly put a stop to them.

Money, to her, had long appeared worthless and valueless; it had failed
to procure her the establishment for which she once flattered herself
it seemed purposely designed; it had been disdained by the Delviles,
for the sake of whose connection she had alone ever truly rejoiced in
possessing it; and after such a conviction of its inefficacy to secure
her happiness, she regarded it as of little importance to herself, and
therefore thought it almost the due of those whose distresses gave it a
consequence to which with her it was a stranger.

In this manner with Cecilia passed the first winter of her majority.