There is spirit for you , Mrs. Dr. dear . But Cousin Sophia would say the child was just so much more cannon fodder . '' Cousin Sophia had full range for her pessimism that gloomy autumn , and even Susan , incorrigible old optimist as she was , was hard put to it for cheer . When Bulgaria lined up with Germany Susan only remarked scornfully , `` One more nation anxious for a licking , '' but the Greek tangle worried her beyond her powers of philosophy to endure calmly . `` Constantine of Greece has a German wife , Mrs. Dr. dear , and that fact squelches hope . To think that I should have lived to care what kind of a wife Constantine of Greece had ! The miserable creature is under his wife 's thumb and that is a bad place for any man to be . I am an old maid and an old maid has to be independent or she will be squashed out . But if I had been a married woman , Mrs. Dr. dear , I would have been meek and humble . It is my opinion that this Sophia of Greece is a minx . '' Susan was furious when the news came that Venizelos had met with defeat . `` I could spank Constantine and skin him alive afterwards , that I could , '' she exclaimed bitterly . `` Oh , Susan , I 'm surprised at you , '' said the doctor , pulling a long face . `` Have you no regard for the proprieties ? Skin him alive by all means but omit the spanking . '' `` If he had been well spanked in his younger days he might have more sense now , '' retorted Susan . `` But I suppose princes are never spanked , more is the pity . I see the Allies have sent him an ultimatum . I could tell them that it will take more than ultimatums to skin a snake like Constantine . Perhaps the Allied blockade will hammer sense into his head ; but that will take some time I am thinking , and in the meantime what is to become of poor Serbia ? ''
They saw what became of Serbia , and during the process Susan was hardly to be lived XXXXX .
as at beyond by if in into of to with