What is the meaning of the word waste as it is used in the passage? What does the

The sentence is filled with verbal irony. If taken literally, the reader would think that the narrator enjoys the beauty of old, blackened brick walls, and is pleased that his window is so close to one as to afford him a good view. Identifying the use of verbal irony in this sentence allows the reader to understand that the narrator is actually disgruntled with the scene his window presents.