early the next day hed been brutally awakened kicked out of bed by the hard boot of a guard and hauled to the palace to officiate at the princes funeral rites , his groggy mind striving to recall the exact sequence of inanities while through the corner of his eye he kept a fearful watch on the defeated king who slumped on his throne , lest he suddenly recover his murderous vigour and dice him into pieces like a turnip .