# File rexml/element.rb, line 1575
    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
      end
      @element
    end