get_attribute (REXML::Attributes)

    # File rexml/element.rb, line 1063
      def get_attribute( name )
    			attr = fetch( name, nil )
    			if attr.nil?
    				return nil if name.nil?
    				# Look for prefix
    				name =~ Namespace::NAMESPLIT
    				prefix, n = $1, $2
    				if prefix
    					attr = fetch( n, nil )
    					# check prefix
    					if attr == nil
    					elsif attr.kind_of? Attribute
    						return attr if prefix == attr.prefix
    					else
    						attr = attr[ prefix ]
    						return attr
    					end
    				end
    				if @element.document and @element.document.doc_type
    					expn = @element.expanded_name
    					expn = @element.document.doc_type.name if expn.size == 0
    					attr_val = @element.document.doc_type.attribute_of(expn, name)
    					return Attribute.new( name, attr_val ) if attr_val
    				end
    				return nil
    			end
    			if attr.kind_of? Hash
    				attr = attr[ @element.prefix ]
    			end
    			return attr
    		end