# File temp/element.rb, line 1175
    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