Sentence:  And when it was required of him by the rigid laws of a haphazard justice, which in retrospect seems like every night of the week, he pressed his limp forelock into a filthy washbasin, clutched a tap in each throbbing hand, and <WSD>expiated</WSD> a string of crimes he didn't know he had committed until they were thoughtfully explained to him between each stroke by Mr. Willow or his representatives. 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  To make amends or pay the penalty for.