The Sound in the Shell, page 10 of 12

One torn leaf lies alone on the table with a hard scratch struck across it, and Pip sits back from it upright and still, not touching it.

He read it all back, and it balanced.

He sat with the balance until dark, and then crossed one line out: Nothing is lost that is paid for.

Under it he wrote one word, and scratched it out until the leaf tore.