# File rexml/element.rb, line 1161
  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