The story reaches a tense climax when Vasily, in a fit of rage, sabotages the tracks. Semyon, witnessing this, must choose between his friendship and the lives of hundreds of passengers on an approaching train. The "signal" of the title refers to Semyon's desperate, makeshift flag—soaked in his own blood—used to stop the disaster. Why It’s a Classic

: You can view digitized versions of early translations, such as the one by Captain Rowland Smith, which are Public Domain in many regions.

: The story contrasts two reactions to poverty and suffering: Semyon’s stoic resilience and Vasily’s destructive rebellion.

: Garshin was known for his "nervous" style, capturing the intense internal conflicts and moral weight felt by his characters.

: For those who prefer collections, the LibriVox project via the Internet Archive offers "The Signal" as part of a curated set of classics.