The gentleman became so engrossed in his reading that he spent every night and day immersed in books, neglecting sleep. This excessive reading led to a deterioration of his mental state, as he absorbed countless imaginative tales filled with adventures, romances, and absurdities. His mind became overwhelmed with the fantasies he encountered, leading him to an unstable grasp of reality.

As his obsession deepened, he began to believe fervently in the fantastical narratives he had read, dismissing any history that contradicted his newfound convictions. He even claimed the legendary figure El Cid to be a fact of his own created reality. This complete immersion in fiction caused him to lose touch with the real world, illustrating the potential dangers of unchecked imagination and obsession within literature.