There was nothing in the room that could replace what we had lost. We tried to think of some other way to reconstruct the scale, but we could not think of anything. So instead we started gathering objects from different rooms and piling them on one side or another of the scales, trying to find new equilibria: a candelabra with candles and holders; an hourglass; some ribbons; a cage with canaries; plates and silverware from the dining room, all laid out on one side of the scales or the other.