    # File temp/element.rb, line 1160
        def delete( attribute )
          name = nil
          prefix = nil
          if attribute.kind_of? Attribute
            name = attribute.name
            prefix = attribute.prefix
          else
            attribute =~ Namespace::NAMESPLIT
            prefix, name = $1, $2
            prefix = '' unless prefix
          end
          old = fetch(name, nil)
          attr = nil
          if old.kind_of? Hash # the supplied attribute is one of many
            attr = old.delete(prefix)
            if old.size == 1
              repl = nil
              old.each_value{|v| repl = v}
              store name, repl
            end
          elsif old.nil?
            return @element
          else # the supplied attribute is a top-level one
            attr = old
            res = super(name)
          end
          @element
        end